A Story of Heart and Soul
by RomanViking
Summary: Years before the Mane Six would defeat the evil Nightmare Moon, a young farm colt would happen into the Everfree Forest, stumbling onto the Castle of The Two Sisters, and the dark magic that lay dormant. Just how deep will this rabbit hole take this young colt? What will become of him on his path through darkness and light?
1. A Raisin in The Moonlight

**Author's Note: Here it is my boys, if you're from my old fanfiction, I'm happy that you sustained through the long wait. Here it is, what I consider to be far better than my previous work, and really am proud to make. **

**Props to the amazingly talented jhayarr23 for the cover art, and the equally talented Family Force Five for their great songs!**

* * *

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, full of riches and curiosities, where wonderment and awe were paramount, where imagination ran wild, and adventure laid as far as the eye could see, there lived a family on the Southernmost edge of the Everfree Forest.

No, this family did not have a mansion or castle made of crystal, nor did they have any riches or any fame. In fact, they had very little at all, only a plot of land, and a small, rundown and unpainted house to live in, but at least they had each other, and really, that was all they had anyway.

Now, being on the Southernmost edge of the Everfree Forest had its perks. Due to all the creatures and dangers that came out of the forest, that left the small family very isolated and left to provide for themselves. Afterall, who doesn't love some wide open fields and alone time?

However, this was all that this family would ever get in life, poverty and privacy….

Soul Glow gripped at the root, and with all the might that a hungry pony foal could muster, ripped the plant out of the ground, dried dirt flying everywhere.

Satisfied by his pull, he used his unicorn magic to levitate the plant into a nearby wheelbarrow, which had already been well filled three times over after hours of work.

However, this young foal did not toil in the dust and dirt by himself.

His father, a stallion who had aged decades in the span of a few years through intense labor, used his mouth to uproot the plant, himself being a mere Earth pony, Soul Glow gaining his unicorn powers on his mother's side.

Even with his magic, however, the young Soul Glow found it hard to keep up with his father's seer strength and stamina, himself filling four wheelbarrows for Soul Glow's one.

This was to be expected after all, a mere child couldn't keep up with his father. However, Soul Glow tried to do his part, even if it amounted to little.

"Hey, Pappy!" The unicorn called to the stallion. "When dah ya reckon dinner'll bah ready?"

He called it dinner, but really that was about the only substantial meal that he ate.

After a brief and early breakfast consisting of a few slices of bread, he and his father would then plant, pick, haul, and tend to the fields until the evening, perhaps a quick break in the middle, then retreat into their home for a well deserved dinner.

This diet had left Soul Glow in a skinny state, even for being a young unicorn, a race not known for physicality.

A growing colt needs his dinner after all, especially after hours of farmwork.

"Ah reckon in just a few moments now." His father spoke, munching on a dried piece of wheat between his teeth.

The grown pony dumped his sack of collected crops into a nearby wheelbarrow, telling his son

"Now give muh a hoof with dis."

Soul Glow hummed a tune to himself, as he quickly sprinted over with childlike energy, spilling his collection into the wheelbarrow before grabbing hold of one of the ends.

Soul Glow's father himself had more than enough strength to manage one wheelbarrow on his own, even if he hadn't eaten since this morning. However, he wished to push Soul Glow with physical labor any chance he could.

Afterall, unicorns gained strength at a much lower rate than Earth Ponies, it was just the way things were. And if Soul Glow was to eventually take over the family farm, the young colt would need all the extra strength he could muster.

He even discouraged his son on using magic on the occasion. Afterall, using magic would only leave his muscles to grow flabby.

With a solid nod, Soul Glow and his father lifted the wheelbarrow, the wheels having fallen out and lost long ago, the whole thing now just being a giant barrel.

Even though his father carried the lion's share of the weight, what remained was still rough on the little colt, however his tune held strong, even if it did waver a bit.

Father and son, they hauled the heavy wheelbarrow across their field, the hot sun hitting their already dirtied coats.

While his father had a brown coat of fur, Soul Glow inherited a solid white color from his mother, making the dirt and sweat of the work even more obvious.

As the two carried this heavy piece of metal, they both heard a shout coming from the house.

"Dinner's ready, everypony!" Followed by the ringing of a bell.

Knowing exactly what this meant, Soul Glow dropped the wheelbarrow in excitement, himself quickly springing towards the house, practically leaving a trail of drool as he ran.

His father quickly moved towards Soul Glow's side of the barrow, grabbing it with one hoof as the other slung underneath the iron hull, the contents almost falling to the ground.

With a grunt, he managed to lift the thing before it came crashing to the ground.

However, even if he wanted to shout at his son, to scold him for not finishing his work, his lips didn't open into scowl, only curled into a smile.

His body had often gone long days without a rest, worn out from the work and beaten from the elements.

Whenever Soul Glow broke out into his childlike state, whether that be through spastic movement or a blur of words and song, his energy would always provide a bit of light for anyone around him, his father included.

Besides, he heard his wife. It was dinner time, and he was hungry too.

Soul Glow burst into the house, racing no one towards the dining room.

Even if he didn't have any brothers or sisters, he would still race and run, almost as if his siblings were right behind him, just as eager to be first as he was.

And as he ran, he sang, he sang a song filled with as much energy as his movements, the tune carrying throughout the house.

"Ah come from da land where da mullet attacks! Business up front, party in da back! Ya gotta style in da south when ya steppin' out! Put a gold tooth in yer mouth! Look at cha now!"

His mother, listening the the nearby kitchen, couldn't help but smile as she stirred the pot, adding the final ingredients to the stew.

Whenever her son broke out in song, which was quite often, her heart would melt at his cute little voice blaring with such confidence and pride.

He was so precious to her, as all little children are to their mothers.

Soul Glow quickly cut through the small house, making his way to the kitchen, where he practically lunged into one of the dining room chairs, the crude wooden piece almost crumbling underneath his weight, even if it was small.

He had been waiting for this since the moment he woke up, the breakfast much to small to satisfy himself.

His father and himself had practically been running on no energy this whole day, his joints, arms, hooves, his whole body aching from the heavy labor.

Soul Glow broke temporarily from his excitement as he stared down at the dinner table with awe, his stomach growling from a hard days work.

The Glow family was a poor one, one who ate irregularly, and of often a poor diet.

However, after hours of back breaking farm labor, Soul Glow would be more than happy to eat even a crumb that was even too small for a mouse.

Dinner was the biggest, and also only real, meal of the day.

It was complete with a hearty hay stew, fresh and warm bread, a nice collection of plump berries and collard greens which his mother had collected in the early morning, and a big lichen pie to finish the whole course off.

Not long after, his father came into the room, also taking a seat, wiping the dirty sweat from his sun beaten brow.

To much of Soul Glow's surprise, his mother walked into the dining room with yet another stack of plate. Levitating them with her magic, they were gently rested on the table.

The young unicorn practically cried out in joy upon seeing all this food. His mother must've worked especially hard to cook all of this.

And all of this, all of this family and food, security and love was made possible due to his parents, who both worked day and night in order to make ends meet, all for their son.

Soul Glow showed his appreciation for his parents' labor through another short spout of lyrics.

"Mama, what ya got cookin' up in dat kitchen?! Cookin' some of dat lichen?! Ya know ah love yer food! Everything ya cook is so good, fer a southern colt like muh! Ya gotta cook it up clean, cook it up mean! Mama don't like it when ya got leftovers! Gimme some of dem collard greens!"

It seemed as if seventy percent of anything noise that came out of Soul Glow's mouth was in a tune, or would harmonize with an instrument if only his parents could afford one.

One time he tried to make some sort of lute from a piece of wood and a few strings, but halfway through his creation, his father mistook it for a piece of firewood, and off it went into the fireplace.

"Why do you wanna sing?" His father asked, as he nibbled on his carrot, the family already beginning their food while he was singing.

Although his father was more than accepting of his son's interest, sometimes it seemed that Soul Glow was more keen on singing than his field work.

Why, if only Soul Glow spent half his energy that he used on singing to farm, then perhaps they would already have moved to a much better place!

"It's da sound comin' out when ah'm communicatin'." Soul Glow innocently answered back with a mouthful of food.

To him, singing was just second nature, as natural as speaking was for other ponies.

His mother smiled at Soul Glow.

Even if her husband saw how little use singing was for the life of a struggling farmer, it reminded her of her younger days, the days when every street corner and restaurant had at least one singer or entertainer.

She saw them all, from the leather tramping pony, to a clean cut choir band, all of them just trying to make a living doing what they love.

"Why, with that cutie mark of your's…" His mother said. "...you're destined to be a famous singer."

"Ya really think so, mama?!" The son quickly answered, himself having to swallow hard on his meal.

"I know so, sweet pea." His mother gave him an approving nod. "Once we get out of here, we'll send you to some kind of music college, and you'll refine your skills, and become the greatest musician to ever live."

For as long as Soul Glow could produce sound, it had been no secret that he was a fan of singing, and that this would be something which was not a mere phase, but something which he would pursue for years to come.

One of the earliest indicators had been his cutie mark.

Soul Glow had earned his cutie mark when he first started to talk, his first words being an entire album of lyrics, rather than the standard 'Mamma' or 'Dada'.

His pale white flank bore the outline of a shield, followed with a microphone in the center, the entire piece almost illuminating, or rather, glowing with a sparkle.

While the meaning behind the microphone was obvious, the shield was another matter.

Soul Glow debated on the meaning, but was never able to come up with much of a conclusion. His father had guessed that maybe it would mean that Soul Glow would eventually become the 'guardian' of the farm, and watch after it. But even that sounded far fetched to the simple minded Soul Glow.

However, even if singing was his passion, a song on an empty stomach was no such song at all.

To Soul Glow, a song was only really a song if it was sung with meaning, with passion, not something that needed to be manufactured and rehearsed, but something from the heart.

And how could you sing from your heart when your stomach was empty?

With that in mind, the foal turned to his food, still piping hot, and lived out one of the most favorite parts of his day.

* * *

The cool evening air brushed the coats of mother and son, the both of them well satisfied after their large and hard earned dinner.

Even while Soul Glow and his father toiled in the hot and dry fields for hours on end, his mother didn't fare any better.

Waking up in the wee hours of the morning, she busied herself mostly with cleaning around the house, and when the sun finally picked up, she would leave to forage and explore the edges of the forest for any sort of food. Once that was done, she would prepare and serve the boys their small breakfast, and after that, the rest of the day was spent cooking and cleaning around the house, mostly in the cleaning aspect.

Sure, unicorns do have a stereotype for being clean freaks, but the amount of dirt and dust that gets tracked into the farmhouse was truly unreal. On its worst days, it would make even the most pig pen of ponies want to take a bath, which was something that only occured once a week.

But all the chores of the family were now done for the day, the fields had been worked and the food had been eaten. Now, the slim period of relaxation could take place.

A simple but large rocking chair, which had been in use long before Soul Glow was born, was one of the few items which his mother had treasured, created by her now husband as a wedding gift.

She slowly and comfortably rocked back and forth, her child joining her, his head resting in her lap, his wild and long hair acting as a sort of pillow.

Currently, the only noises would be the sounds of the rocking chair, the natural noises of the forest during the evening, and the tired but steady breathings of her son, his chest rising and falling in long and drawn out sessions.

Right now, just him laying on her, herself stroking his mane with a hoof, was just about the only free time she could really afford anymore.

Even if free time was rare for this hardworking family, it was a ritual which was practiced at the end of every day, and one which both Soul Glow and his mother loved.

His mother absolutely adored her son, whenever he sung, no matter how loud or unexpected, she loved and supported him.

But still, even if she would clap and give encouragement whenever her son sang, she did appreciate the times when he was quiet, when the air was still, and she could solely focus on Soul Glow in this rare form.

During this time, his mother would mostly ponder on the future of her son, praying that his life would be far better in the future, that he would be able to rise above these tough times, and apply himself to live out whatever dreams he could imagine.

Soul Glow, himself half asleep from the a hard days work, thought little of his future.

To him, all that mattered was that he was with his family, and that he was able to sing whenever he pleased.

But by this time, his body and voice were tired after a day of abuse, and with little energy left, gazed up at the sky.

Besides singing, it was one of the only sources of reliable entertainment around here.

Staring at the stars, Soul Glow only marveled at them, his mind too small and tired to think of them as others would.

To Soul Glow, the stars resembled the bright lights and loud speakers of a stage, himself hearing about such contraptions in the dime novels that his mother would read to him in the morning.

He blinked, tried, a combination of his exertion and the gentle and soothing feeling of his mother's hoof strokes beginning to get the better of him.

His eyelids grew heavier, his breathing more pitched, the early stages of snoring.

As he gazed across the night sky, he eventually came into view of the moon.

Hit by this wave of strong light, he was reawakened, almost rejuvenated by this visual stimulation.

It was a large object, much larger than any star the young colt had ever seen. It was a bright white ball in the sky, the sun of the night, bearing a strange shape which looked like a unicorn, the Mare in the Moon, they called her.

"Momma…" Soul Glow asked, himself still staring at the milky white orb in the sky. "Why is dar ah mare in da moon?"

His mother ceased her mane stroking, turning her head towards to sky, the bright moonlight illuminating her face.

"Well, that's a story which has been passed down for a long time." She tells her son, looking back at him. "Why, I remember the day I was in school, and my teacher told me about it."

"School?" Soul Glow questioned, this being a new word to him.

Soul Glow's mother almost shook her head in disappointment, herself having to stop herself mid motion.

She herself had been educated and eventually had received a few years of study is a small and unassuming college.

However, the family comes first, and thus her education was forced to come to an end.

"You know how every morning you and I sit down at the dinner table, and I read you books and you practice your horn writing?"

Soul Glow couldn't help but cringe at the memories.

It was very sloppy indeed, as irregular was the roots of the plants which his family would eat.

It showed no signs of progression no matter how hard Soul Glow had tried, which wasn't often.

His mother would often rationalize it as Celestia gave him double the singing talent, but only half the horn writing.

"School is sort of like that." His mother told him, as she continued to stroke his unkempt and dirty mane. "Except you're with many other ponies of your age, and are taught by an older pony."

"Like ya?" He muttered out.

His mother let out a light laugh at this, finding it funny that her son referred to her as 'an older pony'.

"Well, not quite." She went on to tell him. "They are taught by a pony who has been taught to teach."

"Taught tah teach?" He questioned.

Soul Glow, himself, found it hard to recieve any sort of education outside of basic speaking and a few squiggles on a paper that vaguely resemble writing. It was a whole other animal for him to even imagine what kind of things a pony who is taught to teach would be educated on.

"Mh hm." She told her son. "One day, you'll be able to go to one."

Out of the entire family, Soul Glow, his mother and father, his mother was the only one to receive any sort of formal education, even elementary school was something that his father didn't quite excel at.

This gave his mother a sort of drive, a self created obligation to teach Soul Glow as much as she could with what little resources she had.

Any chance she could, the mother would turn something into a teaching lesson, whether that be Soul Glow counting how many seeds he had planted that day, or himself having to draw from memory what each plant looked like fully grown.

Soul Glow's mother took her son's question as another teaching lesson.

Parables and old mares' tales were great at that sort of thing.

"A long time ago, there were two sisters who once ruled in harmony." She begins to tell her son. "One raised and lowered the sun, while the other raised and lowered the moon. Overtime, the sister who tended to the moon grew jealous. The ponies would play in her sister's day, but sleep and fear her night. This led her to become a wicked mare of darkness who sought to bring all of Equestria into an eternal night."

Soul Glow didn't know what 'eternal' meant, but by the look on his mother's face, he could assume that it wasn't good.

"Ah remember Papa talkin' 'bout some castle in da forest." Soul Glow recounted, this being the only thing he could relate to the story. "Said somethin' 'bout dark magic."

"The Castle of The Two Sisters." His mother answered. "Where the two sisters used to live."

"When Nightmare Moon was banished, not every last bit of her dark magic went with her…" She explained, her voice fading as she dwelled on the legendary battle that took place so long ago.

She gazed at the forest, the area being known for housing the most dangerous and mysterious creatures of Equestria.

She never really liked talking about such topics, evil magic and the like never sat well with her, especially given their close proximity to such a force.

Even if she had served her own time in the college education system, she still found herself believing in taboos and superstitions.

She felt as if the forest had ears, that whenever she spoke ill of it, it listened, and would act out on such disrespect.

"In the night, when the full moon is at its peak, and the mare in the moon is most visible, strange things happen around the castle."

"Can we see da castle?" The young one asked, innocently curious as to the castle's existence.

Who knows? It could be fun.

"No, Soul Glow." She told him, that strong but rare stern tone present in her voice."The castle is falling apart, not to mention swarming with Bugbears, Timberwolves, and everything in between."

"Can we at least look at it?" Soul Glow asked, himself not seeing the harm.

Soul Glow, himself, had never really seen any dangerous creature before, his parents keeping him away from that part of the forest since the day he was born.

He saw animals, of course. Cute little bunnies and prancing deer, how could any other creature be dangerous?

"How many times must I tell you? The Everfree Forest is a dangerous place."

Despite the two's best efforts at keeping him away, his natural curiosity always would get the better of him.

It had gotten better as the years went on, but his mother recounted a time when it seemed like everyday Soul Glow would draw close to the edge of the forest, almost like a foal putting their hoof onto a hot frying pan. No matter how much the foal was warned on the dangers, the words of warning only seemed to egg him on.

"A few seasons of this work, and we'll save enough to finally get out of here." His mother stated, steering the conversation towards something more positive. "Maybe we'll move to Canterlot or that town up North. Ponyville, I think it's called. I keep telling your father, even near the Everfree Forest is no place to raise a foal. Too much could happen."

Soul Glow, for the first time that night, raised his head from his mother's lap, casting a gaze of confusion at her.

To every rational adult, the Everfree Forest was a dangerous and unpredictable place. But to young Soul Glow, who had been largely sheltered from its horrors, he saw it as just as much of a home as his house, and nothing bad happens when you're home.

Catching his gaze, the mother caught herself, ceasing such talk around her very young son.

"But nothing is going to happen to you, Soul Glow." She comforted, tightening her hold around him as if that would protect him against the world. "As long as you stay by your momma's side, no creature in all of Equestria can hurt you."

Soul Glow really didn't understand what she meant by this. Despite his hard existence, it was a sheltered one, sheltered from all the violence and crime of other ponies. Living in a small house in such a strange part of the world left him little in the avenue of friends, he only knew his two parents.

However, even if he didn't understand the meaning behind her words, he still understood the feelings of her touch.

Her hug was warm, and warm was good. Her touch soothed him, and being soothed was good.

Everything was alright.

"Ah love ya, momma." He said, burying his head into her stomach. "Ya 'n papa."

And with that, his mother wrapped her body around him, a sort of hug.

Unable to take the pressures any longer, his mother's warm love, the cool outside air, the gentle sounds of the night, the beautiful starry sky, Soul Glow eventually drifted off into slumber.

* * *

Even if Soul Glow once found himself on the brink of a deep sleep, he now found himself on the precipice of a whole new burst of energy.

Just like any child, just a few hours of sleep was all he needed before he jumped back into gear, full of life and energy, ready to take on a new day with new excitement and songs.

However, it was not daytime, and Soul Glow could not give into the newfound energy, and surely he could not deliver his new pitch in music.

During the time of darkness, his parents were sleeping, recovering from yet another hard day of work, and preparing for the next one.

Any attempt he made at singing was sure to wake them up, something which he definitely did not want to do.

Soul Glow tried all the usual method to relieve this, counting sheep, but that didn't seem to work. He was just too energetic for these simple methods to work.

Without much else to do besides stare at his bedroom ceiling, Soul Glow sat up in his bed.

It was a straw bed, rough in its construction, but practical for its purpose.

Just like most things in the house, it was made by his parents.

Now in a comfortable position, Soul Glow began mumbling and muttering, mouthing the words to whatever song that came to him.

Soul Glow didn't have to think of his next lyric or line, it flowed naturally, his singing was truly second nature, just as talking was for other ponies.

As he whispered, every single line of lyrics just came to him.

He didn't need to plan the whole song in advance, it just came to him.

"Mah mama raised meh in da durty south, a Kountry Gentlecolt. So ya best watch yer mouth. Mah mama raised meh in da durty south, a Kountry Gentlecolt. That's what it's all abou-"

Soul Glow stopped himself as he heard noises coming from the outside.

The wind had greatly picked up, the whistling of the wind growing louder as it scrapped against his thin walls.

Hearing this, Soul Glow let out a light whistle, matching the rhythm of the wind.

Perhaps it was the wind that had awakened Soul Glow from his nap, or maybe he truly only needed a few hours of sleep to function.

Either way, no matter the real reason, Soul Glow was now wide awake, impossible for him to fall back asleep.

The night air felt good on the young colt, himself toiling in the hot sun for most of his day, the cool breeze soothed his sunburned skin.

Soon the cool wind would turn into much more, and the browning leaves would fall from the trees, only to be buried by a blanket of snow.

Fall had just began, but the emotions and thoughts of winter were still in the back of his family's mind.

While most saw the upcoming winter as a happy time, a time for hot cider by the fireplace and playing in the snow, for a poor family such as his, it wasn't quite like that.

The cold snow, instead of being seen as a creative platform for rolling around in, it was seen as the destroyer of crops, a time where food just couldn't grow, and the family had to ration out what little food they had.

But to the mind of a child, one who was kept away from these horrors, whose parents gladly forgoed their dinner so their son wouldn't go to bed hungry, it was just another time.

And anytime he spent with his family, mouth wide open in song, was a good one to him.

"Winter came sprin'." Soul Glow silently sang, swinging his legs back and forth as he did so. "All da birdies started tah sing."

The wind began to pick up even more speed, scratching against the house.

The window drapes, which had long since lost their color, blew off the hinges, revealing to Soul Glow the outside forest and the starry night.

Once again, his eyes met with the beautiful sky.

He stared up at the moon in awe, its milky white glow illuminating his bedroom, Soul Glow's bedside candle long since gone out.

The Mare in the Moon was the center of his attention, the story his mother told him still fresh in his mind.

To most ponies, the story of The Mare in the Moon was simply just that, a story with no real meaning, just a silly story to pass around over a fireplace.

But to Soul Glow, and other young foals, this story was only real to him, with not a single element of falsity in its telling.

Frankly, it didn't matter what his mother had told him. It could have been a story of a talking sponge for all he cared. To him, his mother would never lie, and thus everything she stated must be entirely true and taken with as many grains of salt as somepony could carry.

So, that would mean…

He averted his attention from the moon, and onto The Everfree Forest, the wild and tangled trees all too visible from his glassless window.

So, then that would mean that somewhere in The Everfree Forest, the ruins of a castle lay, decaying and collapsing as the hostile woods took it over.

Soul Glow pondered about this, and what situations he may find himself in.

As with most children, Soul Glow had a natural curiosity about the world around him, himself being so close to an unexplored wilderness did not help the matter.

To him, the Everfree forest was not something to be feared, but rather something to play in, to frolic in the fields and sing to his heart's content, when free time would allow him of course.

And now, there was a castle in the middle of it all? Soul Glow himself couldn't even imagine what would be in a place like that. He had only heard of such constructions from his mother.

This brought Soul Glow to another thought.

The castle was once some place ruled by princesses, and princesses were rich, very rich indeed.

He was then brought to another though.

His family didn't have much money at all. In fact, most would call his family a poor one, living on a bit a day, however this would be a foolish phrase to use as his family didn't even have a bit to their name.

And a treasure trove of wealth was merely a few trots away?

This was not an opportunity to pass up.

Soul Glow put his dirtied hoof to his chin, smiling to himself as he thought just what he could bring back to the family.

Gold, crown jewels, priceless artifacts? Who knows what could be in there?!

With this in mind, Soul Glow got up from his bed, and went to his bedroom window.

Thankfully, the young foal didn't even have glass on his window, and thus he easily climbed through it, his hooves making contact with the cold grass of the outside world.

Soul Glow took a gaze to his left, and then to his right, analyzing his surroundings.

Even if Soul Glow had been born and raised in that house, and these surroundings had been there for as long as he could remember, he had never ventured out at night.

And at night, it seemed like a whole other world.

The moon illuminated most of the area, giving everything an almost milky white hue.

Soul Glow knew where everything was around here, every rock, hole in the ground, anything. He had lived here his whole life, it was only natural.

However, even as he stared on into the dark forest, Soul Glow couldn't help but feel something heavy in the pit of his stomach, almost as if he had eaten rocks. And that couldn't be the case now, he hadn't tried that since he was really little.

It must be not rocks, but a growing fear, Soul Glow being nervous about this unknown region.

Even now, as the fog and darkness crept throughout the forest, the tingle in his belly didn't subside, but only grew bigger.

The young colt took a breath, and began to slowly walk to the forest edge.

What scared him most was not any creature in the forest, but if his parents happened to catch him now.

They had warned him many times over about entering the forest, and himself not only slipping out of his house during the night, but now was entering the restricted area. If Soul Glow were to be caught now, his hide would be tanned for sure.

At the very edge of the forest, Soul Glow stopped, taking a look into the endless sea of trees.

The moon's light, now obstructed by the treetops, had abandoned the forest, Soul Glow unable to see far into the forest.

The young colt shuddered, wondering just what in Celestia's name could be in there.

Lions? Tigers? Bears?

Perhaps.

An endless amount of treasure and riches, enough to help him and his family for generations? Almost certainly.

Soul Glow held his breath, and lifted up one trembling hoof.

It was a rush, a feeling of exhilaration, the unknown and scary, the riches and wonder all swirling around in the young colt's head.

He was going into territory which he was only allowed to peer into, but never to enter.

To Soul Glow, this was something similar to putting a pony on the moon, if such an achievement was even possible.

Nervous, Soul Glow's heart practically stopped as his hoof made contact with the cold forest floor.

He looked back, seeing his house, and looked ahead, seeing nothing but trees.

He was now in the forest! He did it!

Laughing and smiling, he pranced through the forest, not a care in the world.

He had done it, he had made it into the forest, and to him, that was the dangerous part.

Now his parents wouldn't know what he was just doing, he felt a great stress be lifted from his frame.

Sure, his parents may be mad when he initially returned, but once they saw what he had brought with him, a feast of honor would surely follow.

Soul Glow stopped himself, as he heard a noise.

It was faint, but definitely something.

No, it wasn't the sounds of him, but almost like a scratching sound, followed by some kind of growl.

Soul Glow's eyes darted around the woods like a scared rabbit, searching for any source of that sound.

All he saw was woods, his house now long since gone as he had drawn himself deeper into the forest.

He saw movement, a rustling of trees and branches, and then his heart practically jumped out of his chest.

What he saw was a large creature, one that his parents had often warned him about whenever he strayed too close to the forest.

Soul Glow had seen the occasion wild dog before, but this was something much different than that.

It bore a resemblance to a regular wolf, only it's frame was much larger, it's body much taller, comprised entirely of twigs, logs, and leaves.

The young one began to gasp and weeze, himself struggling to get the words out.

"Ah...ah...ah"

The lumbering thing heard his horse breathing, turning its head towards the foal, revealing its green glowing eyes, its sharpened wooden teeth letting out a snarl.

"Ah timberwolf!" Soul Glow cried out, his fur turning even whiter than normal.

The timberwolf let out a loud howl, scratching at the ground.

The moonlight shown on the creature, its leafy brows twisted into a crazed angle.

Soul Glow wasted no time, doing an about face, and taking off in the opposite direction.

The young colt heard the deep howl of the creature, and knew that he was now being chased, each heavy step from the wolf sounding like a horse cart crash.

Each growl, each howl and twisted cry was growing louder, the sounds of its teeth gnashing now becoming apparent.

Soul Glow trotted, no he absolutely sprinted through the forest, his small frame able to dodge and slide through the thin gaps between the wild trees.

However, the timberwolf was gaining, the thing smacked and crashed into everything it came across, trees falling down like toothpicks, not hindering the beast in the slightest.

Soul Glow felt not only sweat on his face, but tears welling up in his eyes. He should've never defied his parents, he should of just stayed in bed and gone back to sleep.

The young foal gagged, himself completely out of breath, energy drained, and calves burning.

Soul Glow closed his eyes, wanting to open them again in his bedroom, that this whole thing was just some bad dream, that it wasn't real and he would soon be in his mother's warm arms.

When he did open them, he felt not his mother's love, but of the cold night air, the leaves smacking him in the face as he ran from the monster, ensuring to him that this was all too real.

However, even if he didn't see his nice warm bed, he saw a strange building not too far from where he was.

What Soul Glow saw was a destroyed and dilapidated structure, high towers made out of cracked and weary stone, broken down and crumbing walls, a roof that had long since been destroyed, caved into the whole building, and what's left of the structure being covered in a thick green moss.

It must be The Castle of The Two Sisters!

With his small muscles screaming for air, Soul Glow pushed on, almost given a newfound source of adrenaline by his discovery.

The young colt heard the timberwolf roar again, this time it being much closer.

He could actually feel its breath on his back!

Soul Glow leaped through the open doors of the castle, and with the remainder of his strength, he slammed the heavy stone doors closed.

Immediately after, a large crash could heard from outside, undoubtedly it being the timberwolf.

The creature slammed itself against the stone door again, and then again, each time it being like a cannon firing off, the door cracking underneath the weight of the beast, but still holding.

Seeing that its midnight snack had slipped through its wooden fingers, Soul Glow heard the timberwolf let out a hair raising cry, the young foal himself covering his ears to avoid further pain.

And then, it was dead silent, as if nothing had ever happened in the first place.

Soul Glow collapsed to the ground, himself exhausted and covered in sweat, his legs aching and his adrenaline now subsiding.

He had slipped out of his house, against the wishes of his parents, leaving for the most dangerous forest in Equestria for the promise of riches, and just narrowly avoided death at the teeth of a timberwolf.

But never mind that, Soul Glow had made it! He actually made it to the castle!

Soul Glow, after a few more well earned gasped, stood up, looking around this new environment.

The entire castle was in a horrible state, much more than his house.

Not a single flag nor banner remained intact, shreds of the once proud and beautiful fabric now nothing more than litter on the broken and cracked stone ground.

However, even this dark and dank castle was much safer than The Everfree Forest, and the timberwolf that was surely still prowling around outside.

Soul Glow shuddered as the thought about the wolf. Even if he found what he was looking for, he would still need to find another way out.

But that wasn't the priority now for this little one.

Right now, the sole focus of Soul Glow was to find whatever valuable he could, and then get on out of there.

With each step he took, his hoofsteps echoed on the old stone floors, and carried in the lifeless building.

But he found nothing, nothing but dust, broken rocks, and more decay.

It was almost as if this castle was the site of some grand battle, the former occupants leaving only destruction, but no diamonds of any sort.

Soul Glow carried on, himself entering another room.

This one was much wider than the others, still destroyed and torn apart.

The roof was also completely gone, allowing the powerful moonlight to fill the room, The Mare in The Moon now clearly visible, almost as if looking down on the young colt as he wandered.

However, what was most curious about this room was the statue lying in the middle of it all.

Even if it was still very dark, the moonlight shone just right on the statue, allowing its details to be displayed with surprising clarity.

Soul Glow walked up to the statue, narrowing his eyes at it, himself mere inches away from its base.

It was of a pony, a much larger pony than himself, with a sparkly long flowing mane, not scraggly and unkempt like his own. It was also of a mare, herself standing on her hind legs, eyes narrowed and mouth agape, on the verge of attack. He also noted that it was of an alicorn, the statue having both a horn and wings.

Soul Glow thought that it must be a statue of one of the princesses, perhaps the one who turned evil.

Her twisted expressions gave the young colt that feeling.

He had never seen a statue before, and this such one, carved with such detail and accuracy, surprised the young foal.

Soul Glow recounted when he once tried to recreate his mother out of leaves and mud, a Mother's Day gift. However, this piece was much more accurate in depicting a pony form.

As if by a trick of the light, the mouth of the statue moved slightly, as it whispered

"Hello…"

Soul Glow nearly jumped out of his fur, screeching in fear as he jumped back, his whole body shaking like an earthquake.

A long way from home, away from his protecting parents, Soul Glow stood petrified, staring at the statue with wide eyes, himself letting out a horse weeze as his hair stood on ends.

Only when the statue spoke again did the young unicorn halt his croaks.

"Why do you scream, my little pony?"

Hyperventilation, his chest rising and falling with the intensity of a war drum, Soul Glow swallowed hard.

"Yer ah...ah...ah…" Soul Glow struggled with his words, even more than usual, before letting out his complaint. "Yer ah talkin' statue!"

"Are you surprised by my presence?" The statue asked, as if confused by the child's behavior.

Soul Glow could only help but stare at the statue, eyes wide open, but at least he stopped yelling.

Even if his heart was pounding, the very calm and collective nature of the statue confused the young colt.

Soul Glow had never seen a statue face to face, only heard the term during his vocabulary lessons with his mother. Maybe they all talked, and Soul Glow just didn't know.

But even still, the foal wasn't sure. As far as he knew, inanimate objects can't talk.

"I can sense your fear." The statue went on to state. "And I shall say that you have nothing to fear here, child. I think we could be friends."

As any child, Soul Glow took these words with the highest meaning, believing them to the point.

Whether it be a natural curiosity, or the desire to find a friend, children will always try to talk to strangers.

Afterall, after just being chased by a timberwolf through the hostile Everfree Forest, making a friend sounded pretty good right now.

"Who...who are ya?" Soul Glow asked, his voice beginning to grow more stable as his confidence was restored.

"I am a friend." The statue let out in a calm and mindful manner. "And who do I owe this lovely visit to?"

Even if the situation was a very strange one, the statue's soothing and friendly demeanor was enough to alleviate Soul Glow of his nerves.

"Ah'm...ah'm Soul Glow." The foal stated, finally calming down.

Now that he had given the statue his name, he somehow felt more comfortable around the thing, as if just by simple dialogue, he had gotten used to this situation.

"Jeez…" Soul Glow muttered, himself looking around the horribly lit castle. "It shar is dark aroun' har. Ah can barely see ya, if it weren't fer da moon pokin' through da roof."

"I can see you clear as day." The statue responded.

"How?" Soul Glow questioned, raising a brow at this.

"I know where everything is back here." The statue tells him. "I've lived here for many years, longer than you or your even your parents have been alive."

"Whah dah ya mean?"

The statue let out a sigh at his question.

"Most ponies have forgotten of my existence, how I was banished from this world many moons ago, left alone to wallow in my regrets."

"Wha...whah happened?" Soul Glow asked, himself not understanding at all.

The statue took a breath from its nose, before asking in an inquisitive voice

"Have you ever heard the tragedy of Nightmare Moon?"

"Mah momma told muh." Soul Glow answers, recounting the tale. "She told muh dat Nightmare Moon was evil, and tried tah take over Equestria, but Princess Celestia stopped har."

"Hm…" The statue dwelled on this, a slight edge in her voice. "That is a lie...a lie that has unfortunately eclipsed the truth."

This set the young colt off.

"Are ya callin' mah momma ah liar?!" He snarled at her, this being one of the few moments where Soul Glow could show anger.

The very act of questioning his mother was seen as such a despicable act in Soul Glow's eyes. To Soul Glow, both of his parents had done so much for him, and thus can be seen by the young colt as being wholly good, and thus should never be questioned.

"Oh no, child." The statue back peddled, sensing his obvious outrage. "Only that your mother has been fooled, that she is just as much of a victim of deception as yourself."

"Whah does dat mean?" Soul Glow raised an eyebrow, grammar once again working against him.

"Perhaps it is better if I tell you a story instead." The statue offered. "How about it, Soul Glow?"

Soul Glow had really gotten into stories over the years, mostly due to his mother reading them to him every morning and right before bed.

Besides singing, this was one of the few forms he had which allowed him to forget the ache in his hooves and the sunburns on his skin. It allowed him to escape into a whole new world, one where he wasn't starving all the time.

Also, the last story his mother told him was very interesting.

A story from a talking statue must surely be just as good!

Soul Glow eagerly nodded at this proposition, awaiting this surely entertaining story.

"Long ago, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest sister used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn. The younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects. But as time went on, the younger sister grew sad and miserable. The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. The younger sister tried to reason with the older one, to show the ponies what the night had to offer. But the older sister forbad it, and casted her unto the moon, where she has remained for nearly a thousand years."

Soul Glow, in a rare case, was completely silenced by such a tale.

The young colt thought heavy on this story, even if his thoughts were childlike.

He felt a great weight of sadness and regret, empathy for the younger sister, as if he himself had cast her away, even if it happened a millennia before his time.

To Soul Glow, the factual details did not matter, nor was he even aware of them in the first place.

"Can you imagine that, young Soul Glow?" The statue asked. "To have worked so hard on something, and for it to be all for not?"

"Dat's jest horrible…" The foal trailed off.

He remembered the time he spent all day harvesting the fields before pa had arrived home.

His father would be so proud of him, he had collected from the fields all by himself, three wheelbarrows of almonds, all before his father had even arrived at home.

However, Soul Glow would later find out that they weren't due for another few weeks, and all his hard work had done was waste a rather large amount of food.

"I can image." The statue informed the foal. "For you see, I am the youngest sister. I am Nightmare Moon"

The statue allowed this revelation to hang in the still night air, the stuffy walls of the castle blocking off any wind.

The young colt felt uneasy upon hearing this, remembering what his mother had said about that pony.

Soul Glow kicked at a pebble with one of his hooves, stating

"Mah momma told mah dat ya was evil."

There was a definite change in the air after he uttered those words.

"Evil…" Nightmare Moon muttered, a hint of venom in her voice. "Let me inform you about evil…"

She gritted her teeth, letting out a horse growl before recounting the details.

"I was left alone, betrayed, forgotten, abandoned by my own blood. My sister cast me out of society, and has forgotten about me, leaving me on the moon to decay, this castle being the place where I can exert some will, funny considering this was the very spot where I was banished…"

The voice stopped, as a small trickle of tears came from one of the statue's eyes, running down its muzzle before dripping on the cracked and ruined ground.

It was a calculated tear, one which would work well on this low intelligent pony.

"And now, retribution is all I ask for…" The statue continued. "Justice for the wrongs that have been done onto me."

Soul Glow had remembered one of the many moral guidelines his parents had placed onto him: Don't lie, don't steal, but most importantly to always fight for what's right and good will prevail.

Soul Glow had heard her story, had seen her tears, his heart only growing heavier by the moment.

And he came to a conclusion.

The statue, now revealed to be Nightmare Moon, had had a wrong done onto to her, a very unfair and unjust wrong. However, if Soul Glow helped to right the wrong, that would be considered fighting for what is right, and thus good shall take over evil.

If he did that, he would be making his mother proud.

Even if the statue did not have eyes, the presence inside could still see Soul Glow in great detail. She knew that he was quiet a young colt, one with little to no education, one who could be easily manipulated.

"I know your face, Soul Glow." The statue informed the young foal. "That clueless look, rough fur covered in dried dirt and dust, a skinny frame with a certain hunger to your face."

Soul Glow looked over himself as she spoke. To him, this state of being was just natural, something that he had always dealt with, and never questioned.

"You are a farmer, yes, but not just any farmer, but a very poor farmer at that, one who has to struggle to survive and feed himself. Would this be correct?"

It was good that Nightmare Moon was bound to an immobile stone statue, or else she would be bearing quiet the grin.

"Mah pa hasta work hard in da fields, all of us hafta." Soul Glow replied, his mind drawing back to the countless hours they've spent toiling in the dirt, all the sunburns and similar injuries.

Those didn't feel good.

"Yes, your whole family has to work hard just to scrape by in life…" The statue confirmed,sensing Soul Glow's growing discontent. "I know how you feel, Soul Glow."

This broke the foal out of his state, meeting the statue with a dirt plastered eyebrow, raised in confusion.

If this statue was indeed Nightmare Moon, then she was once a princess. How could she know how this farm pony felt?

"Despite myself once being a princess, my power and influence vast, I now have nothing." She goes onto explain. "I too, now, must work hard just to scrape by, sure there was quite a bit of magic left behind after my fight with my sister, but that is slowly fading. Once I had domain over this whole castle, now if I wish to peer into Equestria, I must do so from this statue alone."

She scoffed, coming back with

"And just think, while I struggle to simply exist in this world, and while your whole family struggle to feed themselves, Princess Celestia is in Canterlot right now, gorging herself on cakes and bananas, and when she's ready to rest in for the night, she shall sleep in a bed that's worth more than all the bits your family will ever make..."

The statue paused, before asking

"Now how does that feel?"

Nightmare Moon, even constrained by the statue, still saw the look of confusion and horror on the young pony's face.

Normally, any pony of deep thought would've been able to rationalize the situation, as such: Celestia was a Princess, and thus had dominion over a large population, making her royal duties extremely draining and exhausting, especially now that Luna had left the picture.

But to a colt so young, and so uneducated, he was unable to see it as such, and only as an unfair life of luxury, where Celestia would only worry when her next spa appointment was, while Soul Glow worried about where his next meal would come.

The wicked mare felt ecstatic by this.

Soul Glow's watered eyes bounced around the room, trying to find some sort of answer, some way to turn this into another cheery childlike moment, some way to turn this into a musical tune to light up this dark castle, but he found none.

"Purdy unfair…" The unicorn muttered, his voice trembling, lip quivering as he thought of his family's situation, and how well off others were. "Mah momma and pa are great ponies, dey deserve more."

Soul Glow then felt a great deal of remorse wash over him, the colt regretting his past feelings on this pony.

"Ah thought dat ya was evil." Soul Glow tells her, meeting her in the eye with an affirmative stare. "But, ya not evil. Nopony who cries is evil."

"We both have shed tears tonight, my little pony." Nightmare Moon states, even if her's were crocodile tears. "Both of us aren't evil. We are simply ponies who have been wronged, left alone and abandoned."

These words manipulated the mind of the young colt, these feelings causing him to hang his head in self pity.

His parents had always tried to keep their son happy, having him not think about their current situation in life, how hard and uncertain it was.

But now that this statue had begun talking, she only reminded him of him and his family's struggles.

If there was ever a time where he needed his mother's warm and loving hug, it was now.

"But together, we can right these wrongs." She informs him. "Together, we have the power to cast aside this selfish ruler, and together we can give your family the life they deserve."

Soul Glow looked back up at the statue, a tear rolling down his cheek, splashing onto the dirty floor.

One of the main wishes of any child is to see their parents happy, healthy, and successful, not to be in pain and hardship. A good child would try and help their parents when they're down. Afterall, they are the reason the child has life in the first place.

And now, Soul Glow finally had the chance to repay them.

"I just need your help." Nightmare Moon told the boy. "We can do great things together, great things for your family, and all of Equestria."

"Buh how can ah help?" Soul Glow questioned, his voice weak and powerless. "Ah'm jest a regular ol' pony. Hay, ah can barely use mah magic."

As he muttered this question, a twinkle of wicked intentions flashed only briefly in her stone cold eyes.

"Why don't you stay for awhile, Soul Glow?" Nightmare Moon asked. "There is much to discuss…"

* * *

**Author's Note: Well here it is, my country gentlemen, my first chapter. And thank you all who have read and given feedback on, Spirit of Fantasy and MissEljebel. Check them both out for some cool content! I hope you guys enjoy and don't forget to follow, favorite, and comment! I would really enjoy some feedback!**


	2. Eyes Wide Shut

**Author's Note: Well, this chapter took a bit longer than expected, but here it is. College work and regular work got in the way, but I'm just glad to have this chapter out! **

**I was overwhelmed by the amount of support I got on my first chapter. Most writers around here will write hundreds of thousands of words, and only scrounge up a few followers.**

**Credit to MissEljebel for editing this chapter, love her to death!**

* * *

Many years had passed in Equestria since that night at the castle.

For the most part, Equestria remained much in the same state. Princess Celestia was still the regal ruler of the vast and magical land, and the ponies who lived under her flourished and sang, not a single sad soul in sight.

There was, however, one soul which was the happiest of them all.

No, he did not reside in any major city or town. He had never heard of Manehattan, nor Los Pegasus, or even of Canterlot.

And he was not happy due to any normal circumstances.

He was happy, because the long wait was soon over.

The wait which had claimed his childhood and had pushed into his young adult life.

By now, many changes had taken place on the now older colt, both mental and physical.

His fur was far dirtier than ever before. Even close up, caked on and dried dirt and mud completely covered himself.

As far as anypony could tell, his snow white fur had never existed, long since replaced by a mangy, shaggy, dirty brown.

His mane was also not faring any better, the length increasing to an unreasonable size, wild and messy, split ends and cowlick decorating his dark hair as it scrapped the ground he trotted on.

Instead a foul and rotten musk festered with him wherever he went, as a herd of flies followed his stench. It had been many years since a bath, and by now that putrid smell was his natural scent.

Living in the forest for years on end left Soul Glow with little options of nutrition, and this fact shown on his body.

Sure, before he met Nightmare Moon, he was still skinny, the family farm surprisingly not being sufficient to provide for three ponies. However, this was far beyond skinny, it was something different, something much for sickening.

He walked with a certain hunger to him, his wild eyes flashing around this way and that, his mouth always open in search of food, the faint taste of anything on the wind being his only reliable source of any.

This hunger could've been easily averted by Nightmare Moon. Although her physical body now resided with the moon, much of her magic still stuck around, even a thousand years after her banishment.

An alicorn of her caliber could've easily summoned a buffet for Soul Glow each day, and still have enough to conjure dessert. However, this is not what Nightmare Moon desired, and certainly not a power that Soul Glow knew she had.

A constant state of starvation would do wonders on keeping her little pet in check. He would be too weak to fight back against any orders, and more than eager to please her if even the stalest slice of bread was offered. Additionally, if he was too worried about where his next meal would come from, that left little time for independent thought.

To Nightmare Moon, it was absolutely beautiful!

What was expressed on the outside matched the inside of this now older colt as well.

While his body was fragile, malnourished and gaunt, his mind was wild, full of uncontrollable hatred and anger.

It was Celestia's fault that he had to go through these pains, her fault that Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon, and her fault that he had to live in the squalor of the forest like some hermit while she dined on fine cider and cake every day.

While most saw Celestia for what she was, a fair and regal ruler, known throughout the land for her kindness, Soul Glow saw her as something else, something which had been clogged into his brain, whispered into his ears by Nightmare Moon every night for years as he slept.

To Soul Glow, Celestia was no Princess, but a tyrant, using her vast wealth for her own personal gain while the rest of Equestria suffered. To Soul Glow, his story was not unique, as he believed that all ponies were forced to live in poverty and malnourishment, that everypony had a deep seated discontent with their ruler.

To Soul Glow, his eyes were opened, he saw the truth. When in reality, they were only shut to the truth, and shut rather tight.

He had lived in this allegorical cave within his own mind for many years, chained to the cold stone floor, as a fire blazed behind him, and the shadows of puppets danced before him, with Nightmare Moon as the puppet master. A veil was over his eyes, and only select material was allowed to pass through it.

On the walls of the cave, only the shadows were the truth, and the truth was one which had been misconstrued.

Those days slipped by him like wind.

In reality, Soul Glow was nothing more than one of the puppets on the cave wall, a victim to careful and calculated manipulation, a husk of his former self, only a slave with no true free will of himself.

The worst part was that he never saw himself as that, and saw himself as free and alive as the most independent of ponies. He knew not of the situation he was in, not of the pains of hunger, about the power to choose. He only knew how to follow and how to obey, making him the perfect underling for any villain.

His singing had stopped and so had his love. The only love he had now was for Nightmare Moon, and the only song he would sing would be her victory hymn after her revenge was satisfied.

He stopped dreaming of frolicking and playing in the fields, or singing to a large crowd of eager ponies.

Celestia's end was his bedtime story, a dream which would soon be realized.

The last shred of whatever childhood happiness he had was long gone, gone just like the memories of his life beforehand, Nightmare Moon had made sure of that through years of careful manipulation.

He had no memories prior to himself aligning to Nightmare Moon, not of his family, and not of his home. He had forgotten his wandering into The Everfree Forest all those years ago, being chased by the timberwolf, himself seeking refuge in The Castle of The Two Sisters, and meeting that cold stone statue, all had been erased from his mind. To Soul Glow, Nightmare Moon was his beginning. She was his everything, the only one who kept him company through voice alone, during those countless, long and cold nights, the non existence shoulder he could lean on, the one who cared for him, the one who made him the colt that he was today.

She was also the voice he heard everyday, and today was no exception.

"Very soon now, my little pony…" He heard.

That voice was all too familiar to him, the only voice which he had heard for many years.

To most ponies, the idea of having voices in your head would drive even the most crazy ponies mad. However, to Soul Glow, this was just apart of his life, as much as eating or breathing might be for others.

"Very soon, I shall reveal myself not only to you, but to all of Equestria…" The voice continued.

If it weren't for Soul Glow, the influence of Nightmare Moon on Equestria would have died off long ago, herself finally confined to the moon alone. Her powers were already waning long before his arrival. However, the wicked energy instead clung itself to Soul Glow's very essence, using his spirit as a parasitic buffet. Soul Glow's energy, his life force, his love and emotion, his empathy, simply were nothing more than food.

While Soul Glow went on the decline, Nightmare Moon flourished, and thus her viability in the world became unquestionable.

What was also unquestionable were her orders. Soul Glow followed them religiously and to the letter, filling out whatever trivial and mundane task Nightmare Moon wished. Sometimes, Nightmare Moon would simply command Soul Glow to stay outside on a rainy night for hours on end, just to see how loyal the young pony really was, and he really was loyal.

But this new order was much different than the rest.

"I have commanded you to walk this stone path, away from the forest for one reason." She spoke, Soul Glow being the only one who could hear here.

He continued to trot down the road, listening to his mistress with two open ears.

"Tonight, the annual Summer Sun Celebration shall take place in Ponyville, where…"

Nightmare Moon stopped herself. Even if her body was yet to be seen, the clear rage and frustration in her voice as her lips exhaled the name of her mortal enemy.

"Where…" Nightmare Moon stopped herself, her voice contorting and grinding together, her very self disgusted to say such a name. "..._Celestia _shall host. Follow the path I have put you on, and it will lead you to where you need to go."

Soul Glow received no further instructions, he didn't need them.

Nightmare Moon had commanded him to walk this path, and he would do just that. The stone slabs that made up his walkway could stretch for three more feet, or three more miles. It didn't matter to him, he would follow the path until he reached where Nightmare Moon desired him to go.

And as he continued to move through the path, the thick forest began to clear, and he saw a town in the distance, filled with ponies of all different kinds.

Upon closer inspection, there were unicorns like him, pegasi, Earth Ponies, all living together in this small but well organized town.

At first, Soul Glow faltered upon seeing the crowds.

It had been many years since he had seen another pony, himself being isolated in the more fearsome parts of The Everfree Forest for as long as he could remember.

Hay, even during his early years, living on that farm which he had long forgotten about, it had only been himself, his mother, and his father. He had never seen any other pony, never heard the voice of another, that was, until Nightmare Moon came along.

But Soul Glow regained his confidence upon thinking of her. It didn't matter if he was a greenhorn in social interaction, him coming here had been ordered by Nightmare Moon, and thus must be followed through until the end.

With a few breaths of confidence, he followed the path as it led into the town which he was ordered to enter, Ponyville.

It had been much time since Soul Glow had seen an organized community, his only reference, which had been long forgotten, was his family house. But there were many houses here, and some buildings which seemed like they might not be for housing, but something else.

In actuality, they were shops and the like, but Soul Glow had no knowledge of them. He had never even seen money before.

Sure, a few eyes and glances were cast at this new visitor as he walked among the streets. Afterall, his rough and rugged appearance, his long and wild hair which dragged behind him was enough of a head turner as it was, even to the most uncouth farm ponies.

Only one pony was brave enough to walk up to him, even if this town, and all of Equestria itself, was known for its friendship.

She was a pink earth pony, her hair was a similar shade of color, her mane and tail both fluffy.

"Hiya!" She exclaimed happily to the new pony before her. "I'm Pinkie Pie! Ponyville's super duper party planning pony! Whenever there's a party in need, just call Pinkie! And you look like you could use a party, a welcome party! And do you know why?! Because I know everypony in town, and I don't recognize you! That could only mean that you're new here, and if you're new here, then a party is just what you need to feel welcomed to Ponyville!"

All that seemed to be said in the matter of one quick breath, the pink pony's face growing only pinker.

With one harsh and fast breath, the earth pony let out another line of words in quick succession.

"I'm Pinkie Pie!" She said for a second time, holding out a pink hoof in a hoof shake. "And what's your name?"

It had been awhile since he had seen another pony, or anything color that wasn't mud brown or the bark of a tree.

Her bright pink fur wasn't easy on his eyes, and her high pitched and cheery voice was rather annoying to him.

However, she had asked him a question, and Soul Glow was used to answering any question that came to him with sheer honestly, a tic he acquired from his time with Nightmare Moon.

Soul Glow articulated his jaw in an attempt to answer her question, the words coming a bit hard for him.

Most of his spoken words had been to Nightmare Moon, a mere whisper being more than enough for herself to hear.

This left him with the same broken and rustic accent he's always had, just in a much quieter pitch than it was before.

"Ah'm Soul Glow." He managed to get out.

At least under all the manipulation and destruction of his former life, he was allowed to keep his name.

She could've easily renamed him something to match his new life. Something like Soul Shatter or Midnight Moonscar would've worked well.

Perhaps she thought he wasn't worth the effort.

Whatever the reason was, his name was Soul Glow, and Soul Glow was currently mulling over what to say, a line which he had rehearsed in his head many times over.

In his mind, he had formed a phrase which would inform the ponies of Equestria just what he was here for, and perhaps this ease of communication would allow them to join his side as well.

"Ah'm here tah save ya from Celestia's tyranny."

He had learned that complex word, tyranny, from Nightmare Moon.

Whether it be due to Soul Glow's accent or just the dull mind of the one hearing it, whatever message the colt had was lost.

Pinkie Pie tilted her head in confusion.

"From Celestia's tea cozy?"

She then shook her head, as if shaking off whatever confusion she had, before starting off on her normal rambling.

"I don't think that tea cozies can hurt you, but do you know what can hurt you? No party! So, how about it, my new friend! A party where you can shake it like an earthquake?! Maybe it can shake off that dirt too."

"Go Soul Glow." Nightmare Moon commanded him. "This miserable creature is not worth your time."

And with that, Soul Glow broke from the conversation, leaving Pinkie Pie and her invitation to the party.

Not new to strange and unpredictable situations, the pink pony simply shrugged her shoulders, and went about the rest of her day, herself probably already forgetting her encounter with the wild pony.

However, Soul Glow didn't forget.

His entire interaction with her stirred a bit of thought within him.

Nightmare Moon had portrayed the inhabitants of Equestria as a bunch of sad and starving folk, completely upset with their current leader, but too weak and fearful to do anything about it.

Nightmare Moon sensed these thoughts, prompting Soul Glow to answer her silence suspicion.

"Ah...ah jest don't git it." He whispered to her, as to not attract any other pony's attention. "Dey look 'appy. Ah thought dey'd bah sad."

Nightmare Moon had prepared for such a question.

She knew full well that they citizens of Ponyville, and all of Equestria for that matter, were widely content with the harmony and stability of the land. However, Soul Glow didn't know that. He had been isolated for many years, allowing his susceptible mind to become the canvas where Nightmare Moon could paint her idealized world.

"They have been manipulated and lied to." She told the colt. "Look at them."

Soul Glow turned his gaze to the ponies, all of them going about their day.

He saw one gardening, another delivering mail, but content nonetheless. They all looked completely and utterly happy, as if they were to break out in song at any moment, that neighborly love and kinship were the highest values in this town.

"They are all happy, frolicking, going about their merry day completely unbeknownst to them of the peril that they are in." Nightmare Moon informed him. "Sure, they may be happy now. But what they do not realize is that that happiness can be plucked from them at anytime. That all the good fortune that they have is all but a distraction, a distraction to the fact that they are slaves, and are just tools and garbage to their ruler, just a means to an end."

Soul Glow felt a sudden hit of pity for these ponies.

They were nothing more than a hamster in a cage. Sure, whenever they were thirsty or hungry, they received ample food. When they were energetic, they ran on their wheel until their heart's content. When they were sleepy, they slept until noon if they pleased. However, they were still in a cage, bounded by the tyranny of a higher power, completely dependent, subservient, a slave.

In reality, this was very far from the truth. Celestia's enforcement was minimal at most, especially in such a small and unassuming town like Ponyville.

"However, you and I have risen above the rest of the flock." She tells Soul Glow, attempting to fan his ego. "You and I are smart, we have been awoken by the truth. It's only a matter of time until these ponies are awoken as well. Just follow what I say, and good things shall come of it."

This made Soul Glow smile.

He was one of the smart ones, he was one that was morally right, he was on the winning side. And when the day would be done, all shall see and love Soul Glow for his strives, and shall follow Nightmare Moon.

"Ah'm glad dat ah'm smart." He said between his smile.

If Nightmare Moon still had a form in Equestria, she would be bearing the largest of grins, fully satisfied at her work.

"You are very smart and wise, Soul Glow." She told him, a faint hint of laughter in her voice.

She was glad that a colt so dumb and dull as Soul Glow had wandering into her castle.

As he continued to walk away, he heard something coming from the sky.

Looking up, he saw something which he had never seen before, something which he thought was some kind of monster at first.

But to the rest of Ponyville, it was a golden carriage, pulled by two strong pegasus ponies, both of them wearing a decorated armor, the color scheme matching that of the carriage.

Coming to a grinding halt against the soft and unpaved road, the pegasi let out a neigh, signaling to the two passengers that their drive was now done.

Soul Glow saw two creatures exiting the carriage, one being a purple unicorn mare, and the other being a rather small purple and green baby dragon.

Soul Glow thought it was a rather odd duo.

"Thank you, sirs." The purple pony stated to the two drivers, both of them smiling with pride at her thanks.

And with that, the two wandered off, going about whatever business they had in mind.

"Look at her." Nightmare Moon's voice spoke, catching Soul Glow's attention yet again. "Twilight Sparkle, the 'most faithful student' to..._C-Celestia_. She is very dangerous, Soul Glow. She was mentored in…" Nightmare Moon stopped, herself struggling with even saying the name of her arch rival. "_Celestia's_ School For Gifted Unicorns, where she is taught to suppress and oppress. It is her job to ensure that no dissent shall go unpunished, and her princess's word remains law."

This was yet another lie perpetrated by Nightmare Moon.

In actuality, Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns was just that, just an environment for higher learning, with far greater academic resources than the rest of the schools, to ensure that only the brightest unicorns shall receive the education they deserve.

Of course, to Soul Glow, who knew nothing of schools even before he had been taken, took Nightmare Moon's word on this matter just as he took her word on every matter, as the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

"I suggest you follow her closely." Nightmare Moon instructed Soul Glow. "Her happening on the day of my return is no coincidence, I'm sure of it."

Soul Glow let out a quiet growl at this, his eyes fixated on the unicorn mare.

He had awaited this day for a long time, the time when he would finally see Nightmare Moon in the flesh, and his long days of waiting would finally come to an end.

He would not let anypony get in the way of Nightmare Moon and her day of return.

His eyes never leaving the pony, he slowly followed her, one hoof after the next, his attention solely fixated on the purple unicorn, completely unaware of all else around him.

This tunnel vision caused him to not see the pony in front of him.

He collided into her, herself dropping what she was carrying.

Although Soul Glow did not recognize the items, it was all care products. Hair spray, make up, lipstick, and the like.

And the owner of such items definitely looked like she used them on a daily, no, hourly, basis.

She was a unicorn with a finely combed purple mane, her coat the same snow white color as Soul Glow's used to be, his now too dirty and worn to be white.

"Oh pardon me-" She politely requested, stopping herself as she bore witness to Soul Glow.

"Oh sweet Celestia!" The white unicorn cried out at his appearance. "My goodness, darling! What in Equestria happened to your mane?! To your coat?! To your everything?!"

The pony then drew closer to Soul Glow, her face mere inches from his as she analyzed him up and down, left from right, leaving no detail missed, no speck of dirt undetected.

"Darling, I hate to be frank, but you are absolutely a fashion disaster!" She came to the conclusion. "Why, I insist that you come with me right away!"

Before Soul Glow had a chance to protest, she already put her hooves on him, his light weight allowing her to push him on with relative ease.

"I, myself, wouldn't be caught dead in the state that you're in right now. Why, it looks as though you just rolled out of bed!...If that bed were located in a swamp…" She muttered to herself, her polite attitude being the only thing keeping her from visibly gagging at his stench.

Soul Glow of course tried to fight back, however this was a whole new world to him.

For the longest time, he was left isolated, and now he was being dragged by some stranger. He was completely out of his element, having no idea what to do in such a situation.

"Luckily for you though, I happen to run a boutique here in Ponyville." The pony told Soul Glow. "And you look like you're in desperate need of a change of wardrobe!"

"Leave her, Soul Glow." Nightmare Moon ordered again. "Just like the pink one, she is merely an insignificant speck of dust distraction you from your true purpose."

And just like his encounter with Pinkie Pie, as soon as he heard these words from her, he broke his meeting with the unicorn, leaving her more dazed and confused than the pink one.

"But darling!" She cried out to him as he continued to wander away. "You're in dire need of a shower!"

Soul Glow ignored her, and just like with Pinkie Pie, managed to lose her, rounding the street corner.

Soul Glow then remembered that he was tasked to following Twilight Sparkle.

He looked to his left, and then his right, behind him, and far in front of him, but Soul Glow couldn't find her.

In that small moment, that small distraction caused by that white unicorn, he had lost sight of his one and only task at hand. He had failed Nightmare Moon, arousing her anger.

Even if only her words were around, he could still feel the growing anger within him, but not of him. It was not his fury that was blazing within him, but Nightmare Moon's.

"You've lost her…" He heard her mutter, the sounds of her teeth grinding hurting his ears. "You were so preoccupied exchanging pleasantries with that poor excuse for a pony, that you've lost sight of what I have commanded you to do. She couldn't have gotten far."

Soul Glow could hear the rare, but all too scary, tone within her. It was one of anger and frustration, the last thing he wanted her to feel.

"Find her now!"

Those words of aggression were more than enough to cause Soul Glow to run, run like he never had before.

He pranced all through area, going straight through the small town, and back into the neighboring woods.

He sprinted through the woods, the sounds of breaking branches and rustling leaves filling the air, his breath heavy and his heart pounding.

It would be very bad if he had just failed Nightmare Moon, especially when her grand return was so soon.

Really, Nightmare Moon cared little for Twilight Sparkle. Even if she was Celestia's prized pupil, she was nothing more than a mouse compared to her power, and could be finished with little effort. What really made Nightmare Moon angry, was that Soul Glow had failed what he was assigned, didn't follow through on the order, and by that sense, disobeyed his master.

And Nightmare Moon would not tolerate such mutiny.

Eventually, Soul Glow stopped himself, but not because he was out of breath or exhausted.

In the distance, he saw somepony.

It wasn't the purple unicorn, but it was a mare.

She was a yellow pegasis, frail in stature like Soul Glow, herself only being a bit shorter than him. Her long light pink mane was well combed, unlike the rat nest of hair on Soul Glow's head.

She was standing in front of a tall and thin tree, a number of birds of all different colors and creeds perched on the many branches.

"Okay, my friends." She spoke in a light voice to her animal companions. "Now, a one, one, two, three."

With a gentle breath, she opened her mouth and began to sing, the birds harmonizing their chirps with her voice.

"Listen up loud and clear, because we got a little something to put in your ear. I know you came to have a good time, so kick off your shoes and relax your mind."

The yellow pony had a heavenly voice, almost like one of an angel. Every syllable seemed to melt like gold, and flow with such grace and ease that even the most hardened and chaotic of hearts would join hoof and hoof and sing along.

However, Soul Glow tensed at hearing this sweet melody.

Not only had he been taught to despise anything good and destroy any and all warm and positive feelings, his very memories had been altered and tampered with on a massive scale.

He had no memories of his childhood, those had been long since wiped clean by Nightmare Moon, and what took their place?

Soul Glow was taught that his childhood was full of strife, full of abuse, neglect, and mistreatment, forever and always. He learned that everyday was a day where he didn't know if he would see another sunset, if he would never eat again, or when such horrors would end.

He had been taught that before he met Nightmare Moon, he was nothing, and would never amount to anything. But his connection with her is what saved him from such abuse, and that he owed her his life for that, that any wish she requested would be met in full, and then some.

However, even under the grand scale of manipulation, there was still one thing he remembered, something that he could never forget. He remembered his childhood was full of singing. Who sang, he did not know.

Unfortunately, this would attach pain to singing, they were inseparable from one another. Whenever he heard a tune, it would only fill him with rage, anger, all this negative emotion directed at the childhood which Nightmare Moon conjured up.

Soul Glow let out another growl, his teeth tight against each other, his ears and brows furrowed in rage.

While the pony was distracted by her singing, Soul Glow hunched low to the ground, creeping up on her, his years of living in The Everfree Forest ensuring he was quite proficient at stalking.  
"Raise those arms off your sides. Yeah you got it, now stick them up in the sky." She continued, her birds chirping in tune with her, every creature completely unaware of what lurked ever closer to them.

"Just throw them above your shoulder."

With every word the pegasus sang, Soul Glow inched closer, his nostrils blowing hot and wild air, his now fierce and sharp eyes solely focused on the peaceful pony.

However, when he should be seeing a yellow pegasus, he only saw red, a blinding and painful red.

"If you're young, or if you're older."

Unable to take the torture any longer, Soul Glow lunged at her, interputing her singing,

"Quit yer song!" He cried at her, his rage red face only a hair's width apart with her's. "'Fore ah jam yer words back down ya throat!"

Her eyes widened, her yellowed fur taking on a white complexion, her tail and ears falling low to the ground in terror.

The mare had simply been singing with her animal friends, a talent which she rarely let any other pony see. And now some unwashed, long haired, wild pony had descended onto her, with a look that could kill.

The already extremely shy and introverted pony backed up, her lips quivering, tears welling up in her large eyes.

"O-o-oh my…" She struggled to get her words out, her voice paralyzed with as much fear as she was. "Uh...I'm s-s-sorry…"

In defense of the pony, the birds quickly flew in between Soul Glow and her, squawking and screeching at the aggressor, beaks at the ready if need be.

Soul Glow eyed the many birds, all ready to strike at the drop of a hat, and the scared and near to tears pony behind them.

He had no sympathy for her, she sang, and thus horrible pains were triggered. To Soul Glow, she was just as responsible for his forged childhood as the non existent perpetrators were.

However, he saw the collection of birds, and noticed the mighty fine points to their beaks, and decided that it would be best if he kept his eyes.

Afterall, he had to focus on what really mattered, on helping and following the words and actions of Nightmare Moon, to be ready to follow any instruction at a moment's notice, and he couldn't do that if he was recovering from a bird attack.

Soul Glow growled yet again, his eyes now glued on the shaking pony, herself already curled up in a ball, practically in a puddle of her own tears.

He scowled at her harder than he had ever scowled at anypony, his brows furrowing above his fiery eyes, which glowed and shone with rage and violence.

"If ah catch ya singin' again, you's gonna need more den a buncha animals tah save ya!"

He then snarled, demanding

"Now, git on outta here!"

Without needing any further commands, the yellow pony galloped deeper into the forest as fast as she could, her birds following in hot pursuit, ready to care for their upset friend.

Soul Glow stood their for a moment or two, teeth gritted as his wild eyes stared at where the mare had run, her hoofprints still fresh, the ground still wet from her tears.

The singing, it only brought the horrible, but artificial, memories of his past. Any song was now his trigger, and the worst pain was felt hearing such a tune.

He grinded his hoofs into the ground, his teeth and jaw clenched, eyes still wild with rage, an audible grunt being let out occasionally.

Singing hurt, and pain wasn't good. She was causing the pain, and therefore wasn't good. By Soul Glow removing the pony from his presence, he relieved himself of such pain, which was good. His actions, by his warped and underdeveloped logic, were thus seen as good.

This cloud of rage only evaporated when he heard the cackling of Nightmare Moon, all too loud in his ears.

"Hahaha, marvelous, Soul Glow! Absolutely delicious!" Nightmare Moon cried out in sheer ecstasy. "That is just what I need, the anger, the rage, the raw emotion. Everything about it was divine! A true mark of character!"

She continued with her contorted laughter, forgetting about Twilight, it eventually dying off as the wicked mare eventually grew bored of such matters.

"Although, I must say I'm a little disappointed that you didn't give into your anger. She would've made a marvelous practice dummy for you."

This was allowed to hang in the air, before she let out a light sigh, saying

"Oh well, I suppose we'll have to make time for that later, for night is almost upon us."

Hearing this broke Soul Glow out of his rage, his attention now on something else entirely.

As he had done countless times before, Soul Glow raised his head, staring at the moon, the image of the mare all too familiar with him now.

It had been an image which he had seen countless times on countless nights, and it always brought about the same effect.

It rejuvenated him, provided him with a calming energy, the cool glow soothing his rage red skin.

The moonlight only served to drain Soul Glow of his hatred, replacing it with the warm and devoted love he had for Nightmare Moon. When the moon was out, and he saw the mare in the moon, he felt safe, at peace, knowing that that form in the moon was not just any form, but the one speaking into his ear at this moment. She was his goddess, watching over him with content and security.

Soul Glow heard Nightmare Moon sound off in his mind again.

"Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about everlasting...peace…"

Soul Glow smiled at hearing this.

He had heard this line many times over. Hay, he could repeat the line from memory if he wanted to, even if he was known for his rather dull mind. No amount of manipulation could ever fix that.

The line had been forged and manipulated however, as most thing that came from Nightmare Moon were. To the more informed and aware ponies of Equestria, the line stated that she would 'Bring about everlasting night'. However, like most things in Equestria, all information coming towards Soul Glow was fed to him by Nightmare Moon, and thus was subject to change and destruction.

Soul Glow thought to himself, that if he had ever been sad about any situation he was in, that he must remember that he was lucky enough to be born in this generation, and have a hoof in bringing peace and justice to Equestria.

His heart was practically jumping out of his chest, his whole body warming up as he became overwhelmed with anticipation.

The night that he had waited so long for was finally at hoof. He remembered the countless dream filled nights, the same dream being repeated in his head.

Nightmare Moon had control over Soul Glow's dreams as well, a power which she inherited from her former self, Luna. Soul Glow had allowed Nightmare Moon to temporarily become apart of him, using his lifeforce as substance to ensure her influence could remain in Equestria.

He dreamt only of what Nightmare Moon allowed him to, herself coming to this world in triumph, all bowing done to her, as the rest were locked up for their dissidence.

It was on this night where those dreams would be realized, when the mare in the moon would finally leave her rock in the sky.

And then, Nightmare Moon would finally have her revenge, and the evil of Celestia would finally be purged from this land, and peace would become a reality.

* * *

Soul Glow continued with his long march, his trek.

Under the orders of Nightmare Moon, he had been instructed in abandon Ponyville, and instead climb the tallest slope of the nearby hills.

It would give him a great vantage point, a place well away from the many trees, and give him clear sight of the large moon overhead.

By now, dusk had well set in, and the glow of the moon was beginning to overtake the sun, an omen of what was to come.

Sure, there might be a big festival and celebration for just that event, where the colt would get a clear view of the moon, and perhaps even bear witness to Nightmare Moon herself, but she had forbidden it.

Soul Glow's presence was enough to cause alarm to anypony who saw him. His long and unkempt hair, his mangy mane, the stink that followed him everywhere, the guards would be a fool to let somepony like that into such an important festival.

To even try to enter would be a waste of time, and perhaps even worse, would blow his cover and lead to his arrest.

Additionally, Soul Glow could be called shy around other ponies. Even being raised in the rough and tumble forest can't prepare you for a muzzle to muzzle encounter. It had been many years since he had seen another pony. Just imagining being in a big crowd of them was enough to shake him with nerves.

Still though, he was a bit apprehensive due to the fact that he would miss her grand entrance into the world.

Soul Glow reached the slope, the town of Ponyville now far in the distance.

It was a small town in any sense, but from where he was standing, it seemed like only a speck, just a frail and tiny area.

"Take one fleeting glance at the moon, my little pony." Nightmare Moon instructed him, a slight anticipation in her voice. "Just one glance, and bear witness to the beauty taking place."

Soul Glow did as he was told, raising his head up at the moon, his eyes once again filled with the brilliant glow of the white ball floating in the sky.

In one shimmer, one flash of light, and the mare in the moon, the very comforting image which Soul Glow stared at every night, was gone.

Soul Glow blinked, and the image was still gone.

He felt a few tears come to his eyes. Even if he knew what it meant, it was still a massive shame to him. He had been raised with that image hanging in the sky, a sort of night light to guide him through the darkness. And now it was gone.

Only when he heard her sweet voice was he taken out of his fears.

"Soul Glow, I want you to go back to the castle." She told him. "Where I am."

Even if Nightmare Moon had indeed returned to Equestria, that didn't stop her from still being able to telepathically communicate with her subject.

This message only served to cause the ever beating heart of the colt to turn into an engine, his entire body vibrating with excitement and anticipation.

Years, and years, and years had passed, Soul Glow having one singular goal. He was to wait, to train his mind, or in other words be manipulated and indoctrinated by Nightmare Moon, all for this day to come, this one event.

Nightmare Moon had made contact with the soil of Equestria, Soul Glow was making contact with the soil of Equestria. He had never felt closer to her.

But still, even under such excitement, something needed to be addressed.

"Buh how can ah find ya?" He asked her. "Ah don't know dis place. How can ah come back tah da castle?"

This Ponyville, and the surrounding area, was unfamiliar territory to him. Being confined to the forest all his life, he might as well be on a different planet.

"Hmm…" Her voice was slightly annoyed, but not at all angry. "Really, Soul Glow? I would've assumed a pony who's spent his entire life in The Everfree Forest could find their way back to The Castle of The Two Sisters."

"Buh ah'm not at da castle." He stated. "Ah'm near Ponyville."

Another moan came from the fallen princess.

Normally, Nightmare Moon would've punished anypony for such insolence, such back talk.

But since she was still celebrating her return, she would let a comment go by unpunished, especially if it came from the dull Soul Glow, one who did not know what he was saying.

"Fine then…" She muttered, showing him mercy on her grand day.

Nightmare Moon had considered, for the longest time, after her return to Equestria, to simply cut all contact with the colt, abandoning him and leaving him to his own devices.

Afterall, Nightmare Moon was already back in the real world. His use as being a mere host for her parasitic ways had come to an end. She could just simply cast him aside like the trash that she thought everypony was. It would really be no bother on her part.

But still, to get rid of him now would be a waste in and of itself. She had already spent much of his life manipulating Soul Glow into becoming completely loyal and dependent on the fallen princess. It would be unwise to waste such a potential asset after so many resources had been spent. He could be replaced, but not without cost and time, none of which she had.

Besides, he could still be useful. If anything, he might provide himself as a useful meat shield in the expected fight between herself and Celestia.

Who knows? Perhaps she could even use him as a mock hostage, using life as leverage over the soft hearted Celestia.

Come to think of it, Nightmare Moon's magic had more than enough power to reach the colt, even if she was all the way back in the castle.

Perhaps now it would be best if the two were to gather and unite under a common plan.

With this in mind, from so far away, Nightmare Moon conjured a figure next to the young colt.

Soul Glow's brown fur turning a few shades whiter upon seeing such a thing.

It was an almost ghostly grey and purple ball floating in the air. Whenever it moved, it left a wispy trail of what looked like fog.

Soul Glow shivered as the ball flew past him, the air seeming to grow significantly colder.

"Whah is dat?!" He cried out, never witnessing such a thing.

"It's a will-o'-the-wisp." She explained to the colt. "I have conjured it so that it may do my bidding. Follow it, Soul Glow. Follow it close and carefully. It will lead you out here, through the Everfree Forest, and back to The Castle of The Two Sisters. There, we shall greet each other properly for the first time-"

"Oh boi!" He chirped, this being the first time he had ever interrupted her. "Dis gonna bay so much fun! Ah jest can't wait tah meet ya!"

Even under his weak bones, brittle and tender from a lack of nutrition, his skinny legs unable to support such a movement, through sheer adrenaline he continued to hop around, himself as happy as can be.

He had already forgotten Twilight Sparkle, the singing mare in the woods, and the anger that they all caused him. They were quickly forgotten, replaced with new emotions, one of happiness and joy.

"Yes, Soul Glow. It shall be fun." She stated, letting such insolence go unpunished just this one time. "But once we begin our reconquest, the fun can truly begin."

With this new objective in mind, Soul Glow smiled through his dirty teeth, following the glowing ball of light with great pleasure.

Every soon, he shall finally meet her in the flesh for the first time.

He wondered just how he would greet her.

"Just follow the light." Nightmare Moon reminded the pony as he continued. "And it will lead you through the darkness and to me."

* * *

It had been a long and hard march, but that bright ball never left Soul Glow's sight.

The journey was more difficult than he had remembered. Perhaps it was do to the events that transpired earlier that day. Such activities, meeting new ponies after so many years, or just going to a whole new area after being confined to the forest for so long. Such exposure to such new things could do wonders to a mind so feeble as his.

He was never taught how to read or write, basic math or common manners. What his mother had taught him was long since forgotten. The only thing he was taught under Nightmare Moon was how to obey.

Most likely, it was due to the lack of sun, it long since disappearing, replaced by the milky white moon.

Even with the full shine of the moon, the tree tops of The Everfree Forest ensures that he would be surrounded by darkness. Such lack of vision caused him to trip and walk with light hooves, himself stepping on a thorn or two, an occasional root or vine tripping him.

He might've lived in the forest, but he had never been in these parts.

His hooves were sore like none other, his legs aching.

Indoctrination, not training or working out had filled his years.

Just a bit longer to the castle, and then he would finally meet Nightmare Moon in all of her glory-

"Hey, stop right there!" He heard somepony cry out.

Because he was used to commands coming from Nightmare Moon, he halted dead in his tracks, looking towards the sound's direction.

Coming into sight was a group of ponies, six of them to be exact, a few of them looking familiar.

He recognized the yellow pony, the pink one, as well as the purple and white one. But the one with the cowboy hat, and the one with the rainbow mane, he had never seen them before in his life.

"What are you doing here?!" The Rainbow maned Pegasus demanded.

"What are you doing back here?!" Twilight cried out in support. "Princess Celestia has disappeared, and Nightmare Moon has returned! Not to mention it's dangerous back here!"

Soul Glow was unable to understand such anger, such demand.

Afterall, to him this was supposed to be a happy day, he had never been so glad in his life.

And that gladness was supposed to be shared by all of Equestria. Nightmare Moon had told him that she was a liberator, and that her presence alone was enough to make ponies drop to their knees in worship and celebration.

In other words, he was left speechless by such negativity on such a happy day.

"No offence, guy!" The one with the rainbow mane added, picking up on his muteness. "But we've just managed to survive falling off a cliffside, a crazed manticore, a bunch of freaky trees, and an over dramatic sea monster. So don't take it the wrong way if we get cold hooves by seeing some mystery colt just stumble out of the forest, and to us!"

The pink one took a great step towards Soul Glow, eyeing him, before putting a hoof to her chin.

"Hey, I know you!" She cried out, coming to a conclusion. "Aren't you the meanie who didn't want to have a party with me?!"

"And the one who failed to see the errors of your fashion choices?" The purple maned unicorn added.

The yellow mare which Soul Glow had yelled out couldn't chime in. Petrified with fear over seeing him again, she quickly ducked her head low to the ground, attempting to stave off another tear filled breakdown as she shivered behind the other five.

"What are you doing back here?!" Twilight demanded again from the colt, not at all fazed by their previous encounters with him.

"Ah'm here tah vist da mare in da castle…" He told them honestly.

It had been so long since he had seen another pony.

For many years, he had just been with himself, and Nightmare Moon's voice, all too eager to spin a yarn or two in his ear.

During that time, he had only been honest with her, it was what was taught both before and after his encounter with the evil mare.

Soul Glow had never lied in his life, and especially not to Nightmare Moon.

While most ponies in a similar situation would have lied, made up some story to cover their tracks, Soul Glow did not. He did not know how.

The six mares threw confused glances at each other.

For as long as they had ever known, The Everfree Forest was the most dangerous place in Equestria. Any pony who wandered in had never come back out. It was off limits, a place of menances and monsters. The idea that another pony could not only survive, but live there, was one which was completely new to them. And the fact that Soul Glow had said it so casually only increased their unease.

"N-nopony lives back here." Twilight responded, a slight stutter as her nerves began to grind.

Soul Glow turned to her, and says with conviction.

"Yea, she does. She lives in da castle."

"Nopony lives in the castle!" The rainbow one cried.

"You're here to visit somepony in the castle?!" Pinkie Pie sounded off. "Wowzers, we're heading there too-"

The pink pony was cut off as Twilight gave her a rough jab to her side, casting a short glare at her.

"Hey!" The pink one annoyingly cried, rubbing her side. "What was that for?!"

"So, if your friend really is in The Castle of The Two Sisters, I must ask..." The unicorn from Canterlot began, ignoring the question from her companion. "What brought her there?"

"She's bein' chased." Soul Glow answered back. "Chased bah da ponies ah'm lookin' fer. Dey wanna do har harm."

With every word this colt spoke, Fluttershy was evermore reminded of her first encounter with him. How he came out of nowhere, frightened and threatened her.

Just the thought of him alone was enough to make her want to run home and hid under her bed.

Fluttershy's tear ducts were still wet and raw, overused from what he had done to her.

And if Soul Glow were to make eye contact with here...she would most likely die on the spot.

"Uh.." She whispered to her fellow mares. "Girls, I don't think this is a good idea…"

However, her voice was so slow, so timid and scared that not even the most attentive of ponies could've heard her words of warning.

Her suggestions practically fell on deaf ears, as the six mares, now joined by this colt, marched on, all unaware of their mutual quest.

"And just who are these ponies?" The purple unicorn asked.

"Six o' dem." He said. "All o' dem are evil, dey wanna hurt meh and mah friend."

"Oh great!" The one with the rainbow mane sounded off in sheer annoyance, letting out a loud groan. "First Nightmare Moon, and now six new villains! Equestria must be coming to an end as we know it!"

"And just who is your friend?" Twilight asked, ignoring the exaggerated misery of her friend.

"Is that the one that lives in the castle?" The purple maned pony asked, the group now accepting his claim as a reality.

"She doan live dar." Soul Glow corrected her. "She's jest hidin' in dar."

"For how long?" Twilight asked.

"Ah jest saw har a few hours 'go." He recounted. "At da celebration."

"Oh dear!" The posh unicorn cried out in sympathy. "Is she running away from that monster?"

"Nah, ah doubt it." Soul Glow answered, dimly unaware of just who she was referring to. "She ain't scared o' nuthin'! In fact, everypony was runnin' scared o' har!"

The one with the cowboy hat put a hoof to her chin, smiling as she revealed

"Ah like the way ya talk…"

"What did she look like?" Twilight asked.

"She was real purdy." He smiled through dirty teeth as he thought of her. "Large too, sparkly 'n black."

Twilight let out an audible gasp, stopping in her tracks.

The other mares stopped as well, glancing at Twilight in confusion by her action.

"Girls…" She muttered, ears hung low against her head.

Now, full of worry, concern, and everything in between, Twilight stared at the colt before her, asking

"And just what is your friend's name?"

"Har name is Nightmare Moon." He said.

Everypony took a double take, a few with brows raised, a few with their mouths agape, and even one who began to shudder more violently.

"I'm sorry, darling." The polite pony apologized, herself picking at her ear with her hoof. "But I must have heard you wrong. Your accent may have caused a misunderstanding, but it sounds like you said your friend's name was Nightmare Moon."

"Yessum." He responded casually. "Dat bah har name."

Twilight Sparkle's face turned into a twisted scowl, her eyes practically burning holes through the colt.

Besides the shivering yellow pegasus, every other pony was glaring daggers at him, the rainbow one cracking her hooves in preparation for what she was about to inflict, the cowboy one not too far off.

Meanwhile, Soul Glow stood their, blissfully unaware of their feelings on such a statement, still thinking of himself as the hero and these other ponies as damsels in distress.

* * *

Soul Glow stumbled his way into the castle, panting and sweating like none other.

He had just ran what seemed like a marathon, and his body was reeling in it.

It wasn't due to the six ponies that he was so out of breath.

Due to his natural acclimatization to such terrain, he was easily able to slip away from his pursues, all the while they kept tripping and stumbling on every rock and branch.

To him, they were just as fleeting as his mind.

No, he ran because of what awaited him on the other side of these old and worn doors.

He would finally bear witness to Nightmare Moon, the image that appeared in his dreams every night, the one who he thought of every second of the day.

If she was indeed a goddess, then he was her loyal servant.

With trembling hooves, both worn out from his run and due to his excitement, he clopped his way into the castle, his hoofsteps echoing against the stone floor.

He had only left the castle this morning, but now he was back, and with a visitor nonetheless.

As he entered the statue room, the place where this whole path had begun, he noticed something.

The statue was gone, but something else took its place.

Years of waiting, years of imagining and dreaming of her, all the images he thought up didn't even come close to her actual form.

Soul Glow could hardly believe his eyes.

To the rest of Equestria, Nightmare Moon was a gruesome, despicable, evil, cruel, and ugly villain. Her face twisted and contorted with her own anger, her eyes beating with vengeance, and her teeth sharp bared to anypony who crossed her path.

But to Soul Glow, she was all he had ever known. He had been surrounded by the harsh wilds of The Everfree Forest for as long as he could remember. He had only seen the cruelty of nature, the selfish instincts of the animals which inhabited the forest. Seeing Nightmare Moon, the illustrious princess who would soon rule all of Equestria, it was nearly heart stopping.

He had never seen such beauty before, her shimmering black coat sparkled and twinkled, almost as if she herself had been plastered with the many stars of the universe.

Her horn was much longer than Soul Glow's, and seemed to jut out of her skull with as much power and force as the mare herself had. Her wings shared a similar fashion, every flap seeming to summon a storm, as thunder split the skies.

Even her outfit was nothing less than a beacon of her grace. Strapped across her body was a sort of armor, light blue in color, as it bore a crescent moon as its centerpiece, signs of her royal past, and proof of her royal future.

"Nightmare Moon!" He cried out in glee.

Running to her like a foal, he gripped one of her front hooves tightly in a hug.

"Oh yes, Soul Glow." She replied, herself adding a bit of artificial joy in her voice as she returned the hug, albeit with less eagerness.

Her voice was cold, but to Soul Glow, it was the only friendly voice he knew, and he loved it.

Soft yet powerful, every last syllable dripped with as much influence as her physical self had.

Nightmare Moon was hesitant to touch the pony, mainly because she herself was not accustomed to, or desired to, showing real love and empathy, only the plastered on fake smile she gave him. She really cared little for him, nopony knew or remembered him, he had nopony of his own. To show a lesser and undesirable pony love would be completely against her instincts, and worst off, for somepony so unwashed and illiterate.

"It is good to finally see you in the flesh." She lied to him, gently pushing the gushing colt off of her. "By the expression on your face, I can assume that you feel the same way?"

"Oh, do ah!" He exclaimed, jumping with joy. "Ah haven't been dis 'appy in moons! Ah jest can't wait tah-"

Nightmare Moon plugged her hoof against his mouth, herself not being able to take his broken and unintelligent language any longer.

"It seems as though you're the only pony who knows how to treat a princess." She said in reference to his excitement. "But enough of this, for I can sense them approaching."

They were close, but not near. Perhaps half an hour away, probably still stumbling around in the dark.

"Dey bah six o' dem." He tells her, thinking of himself as some spy who just gave his leader valuable intel.

"I can smell their intentions…" She mutters, her nostrils flaring. "And it reeks."

"Ah can take 'em." He boldly claimed, throwing his hooves in the air as he pretended to punch one of them. "Jest lemma at 'em, and dey'll bah gone in a second!"

"No, Soul Glow." She commanded him. "You fighting all of them at once would be a fool's errand at best."

It was less about the concern of his safety, and more about the idiocracy of such a claim.

To her, Soul Glow was less of a loved one, and more of just some dumb dog. An animal too stupid to accomplish much, but one that would also leave a bad taste in your mouth if you abandoned him by the road.

She was stuck with Soul Glow, just as his stench was stuck with him.

No, they wouldn't be fighting these ponies tonight.

Even with her grandiose sense of self, she was no fool.

She had just been awakened, her one thousand year stay on the moon coming to an end, and she was badly out of practice. Blasting at rocks and creating craters could only do so much.

Additionally, while she couldn't sense her sister's presence, Nightmare Moon was fully aware it would only be a matter of time until she arrived at their location.

Fighting six unknown ponies who were able to brave The Everfree Forest, at the same time as her sister of over ten thousand years experience would be a foolish venture.

All she had at her side were her rusty magical powers and a colt who could barely speak Ponish.

Nightmare Moon had created several plans during her long stay on the moon, each more sinister than the next.

While the wicked mare was fighting an entire country with just an illiterate farm pony at her side, she was not dumb.

She knew that herself and Soul Glow would stand no chance against the entire Royal Guard, Celestia, those six ponies, and whatever other loyalist group that had been set up during her banishment.

Nightmare Moon knew that they were weaker when apart, that her dark magic alone could take on the Royal Guard, but with any other support, especially the princess, the battle might go out of her favor.

Separating such a force would require a massive distraction, destruction on an enormous scale, one that would draw the attention of Celestia's forces away for just a moment. And in that moment, Nightmare Moon would strike, and take her rightful place as the sole ruler of all of Equestria.

With this in mind, she turned to Soul Glow, smiling.

Sure, the six ponies might know Soul Glow by face, but her would stand out much less in a crowd than the patron mare of darkness.

"Soul Glow…" She grinned at him. "How would you like to have a little fun?"

* * *

**Author's Note: Glad all of you enjoyed this. I short of rushed the ending here, but I hope it didn't show! Thanks for supporting this story. Don't forget to follow and favorite, and leave a review! See you little ponies next time!**


	3. The Struggle Against Evil

It had been just a mere few days since The Summer Sun Celebration and Nightmare Moon's grand return.

At this point, Soul Glow thought that Nightmare Moon and himself would have conquered the whole of Equestria already, long since beating the evil Celestia after the first day of her return. He thought that he, and the rest of Equestria, would be eating like kings and queens, everypony as happy as can be, hooves joined together as they spun around in joy at Celestia's defeat.

However, this was not the case at all.

Rather than living life in a wonderful palace, the two had been confined with hiding in a cave, and rather than fine dining, Soul Glow's diet had remained in the same pitiful state it had always been in.

What Soul Glow had occupied himself with these days was feeding both himself and his mistress, who often greedily took his share of the find as well, and become enveloped only further in the indoctrination.

At this point in time, Nightmare Moon was still in a weakened state, unable to take on Celestia in a head on fight.

Her time of living on the moon for a thousand years had made her quite rusty in combat, but blood thirsty nonetheless.

Normally to Nightmare Moon, she would've found living in a dank and dirty cave beneath her, she used to be a princess after all. However, she was just happy to be back in Equestria, and simply saw this cave as a means to an end, a small sacrifice that would help assure her claim as ruler of all the land. And once she had her palace back, she could simply do away with Soul Glow, ensuring the memory of this foul standard of living would be erased.

But still, at the moment, he proved useful to her. And today, she had a much different plan for him, one that didn't consist of collecting food or listening to her lies.

She turned to him, who at the moment was mashing berries into a fine paste with a small rock.

"Soul Glow…" She said to him. "I believe I have not made yourself familiar with the wartime strategies of strategic destruction or scorched earth tactics."

Just a few days ago, Soul Glow was practically on his knees, kissing her hoofs like she was some kind of goddess, a second coming. And to Soul Glow, she most certainly was.

However, this constant praise soon grew weary on the alicorn, love and affection were two things that Nightmare Moon was never really a fan of. It was a bit disgusting to her, but something which she could tolerate in dosages, especially if it meant that Soul Glow would stay under her total control.

Normally, being in the presence of such greatness would cause great loyalty or even a slight amount of fear in anypony, but even to the simple minded Soul Glow, her constant presence grew second nature to him, an everyday part of his life.

"No'm." He responded, always vigilant to mind his manners around the princess.

Even if he found her presence second nature, he also found it second nature to try and suppress his prevalent country mannerism of speaking, even if that proved near impossible at times.

"Back when I used to rule Equestria alongside that tyrant…" Nightmare Moon explained. "There were many spells and battle tactics that we learned, so as to hold off any enemy invaders and the like."

Soul Glow stopped his preparation of food, listening to her well with his full attention.

When Nightmare Moon speaks, he listens to the fullest of his abilities, especially when she had something to teach him. Her knowledge, according to Soul Glow, was of the greatest and most reliable.

"It was well reasoned that dispatching enemy units would not be enough, as any competent force could simply generate more. In such a case, the materials of war would need to be targeted. Factories, farms, mines, anything that supported a war effort would be destroyed. It was hoped that with a lack of material, the enemy could not wage a war and leave, saving lives on both sides."

"Ah dah like savin' dem lives." Soul Glow stated at this.

Nightmare Moon nodded at this, saying

"Yes, Soul Glow, and lives shall be saved from this tactic."

Just another point she wished to emphasize in order to ensure Soul Glow's support. Even if he was firmly under the manipulation of evil, a bit of passive good still remained. Harming another pony, who hadn't already antagonized Nightmare Moon, was viewed as difficult. Taking a life would not be possible.

"That is what I wish for you to do, my little pony." Nightmare Moon assigned him. "To lay waste to Celestia's realm, to render land unusable, and weaken her hold. Destroy farms, stores, whatever infrastructure you may come across."

Soul Glow raised a still dirty brow at this.

During the time between The Summer Sun Celebration and now, he had mostly occupied himself with making conditions as comfortable for his master as possible. While he was doing that, however, Nightmare Moon had been forming a new plan, one which she believed would end Celestia's rule once and for all.

She was well aware that the odds were stacked against her, but did not falter. She would just have to improvise, not engage in open battle, and instead destroy Celestia's rule on the people through such terrorist acts.

Now that Soul Glow was all too eager to carry out Nightmare Moon's wish, she would be able to command more from him.

"Another tactic we learned was a bit more...sinister." Her eyes flickered with an evil spark, herself deriving pleasure from such a thought, before she calmed herself down and continued. "But in our current situation, it seems as though we have no choice." She explained, trying to give the perception to Soul Glow that she was slightly unwilling to carry out such a deed, and thus maintain her appearance of being wholly good.

"Whah bah dat?" He asked, curious as to what she had in mind.

"Scorched earth tactics…" Nightmare Moon began, her voice only growing more excited as she explained. "Destroying everything in your path. Farms, buildings, roads, schools, anything that you see, you destroy in anyway possible. Not only does this harm infrastructure, but it also terrifies the other ponies. If they see their neighborhood grocery store go up in smoke, what comes next? The bank? The local kindergarten? Their own homes? Oh! They'll be so terrified of us, it will be absolutely delicious!"

Nightmare Moon was practically giddy with excitement, herself imagining the looks of fear, the foul stench of despair as the hopes of everypony would crumble and burn.

She licked her lips as she imagined what their tears would taste like.

"Buh won't day bah mad at muh?" Soul Glow asked, himself not having as much faith in the strategy as she did. "If ah'm destroying dar land 'n whah not?"

Afterall, Soul Glow still thought of himself as a sort of freedom fighter, and not as a barely useful slave to a merciless usurper.

"They will see this as a sign of weakness from Celestia." She told him. "They will see her inability to protect her own people, and will join forces with us."

"'N whah if ah run intah dose ponies 'gain?" Soul Glow asked, referring to the six he met a few days ago. "Dey seemed purty bad tah muh."

"If you do encounter all six of them at once, I would advise you to leave immediately." She told him. "If you only encounter one, you may stand a chance, but combined, they are much too strong for you."

Even if his life meant little to her, she still preferred him as a loyal follower, rather than not be at all.

Besides, if he were to be captured, they may be able to integrate Nightmare Moon's location to them.

Soul Glow grumbled at this, his pride in pain upon learning what Nightmare Moon thought of his strength.

"I want you to use everything you have available to yourself." She continued, getting back to the earlier subject. "If you use flames from your magical horn, then so be it. If you can use a torch you find, use that as well. Throwing rocks at windows, cutting down trees with hatchets, crashing horse carts into the homes of others, use whatever is available to you. Even if you have to tip over a cooker of hot coals, or throw gasoline into a kitchen oven. Whatever will cause destruction and distress."

"Don't fire hurt?" He asked.

In his mind, Nightmare Moon was a gentle creature, and would never cause harm to another pony.

"I appreciate your concern, Soul Glow." Nightmare Moon lied, herself actually feeling a tinge of rage at his questioning. "You truly are a stallion with a heart of gold."

This point of fact was actually very annoying to the mare. No matter how hard she tried, no matter what sort of dark magic she used on him, she was never able to fully extinguish his good nature and turn him into a proper villain. Only though her prowess of manipulation was she able to turn him, lying to him, altering his memories, feeding him the false information that Equestria was under the iron hoof of Celestia, and only he could save everypony.

She grumpily thought about this, before saying

"But we must be as cold as ice in our current situation. Even if they are repressed by Celestia, it has become second nature to them, a way of life. And they will defend this way of life with their lives."

This sentence drove confusion into Soul Glow.

For the longest time, he had been told that this was just what Celestia had been doing to her own subjects. That Celestia had destroyed and terrorized all, taking what she wanted from her starving subjects, and burning the rest.

He had also been told that Nightmare Moon was a creature of light, that she would be the beacon that would lead the way through Celestia's dark rule and eventually rebuild Equestria from her damages, all with the help of her companion, Soul Glow.

He was told that he would be a liberator of evil, not a destroyer.

"Buh ah jest doan get it." He stated, a clueless tone in his voice. "All o' dat jest seems bad. Why dah ah hafta dah dis?"

She growled at this defiance, standing up from her place on the floor.

"It is my will!" She snapped at him, her temper echoing throughout the cave walls.

This sudden burst of anger completely took the young stallion by surprise, his face growing pale as his mouth and eyes widened in disbelief.

To Soul Glow, Nightmare Moon was a heavenly being, one that was cut from a far grander cloth than the rest of ponykind. She was a calm and caring creature, thoughtful, and would always present herself in only the kindest light. To Soul Glow, anger was simply just not something that came to her.

In actuality, Nightmare Moon was a selfish monster, one who was quick to anger, and even more quick to act out on it. She was a devil of little patience and little time for foaling around. This side was Nightmare Moon's true self, but not one that she often showed around the young stallion. Afterall, he still thought of her as good.

He felt like crying, felt that tightening of the throat, that quivering of the lip, the trembling of his hoofs.

He couldn't understand such an outburst coming from somepony so kind.

It is said that wild animals and beasts may be slower to judge the personality of a character, but by the intense and heated glare, even the most brutish beast would turn tail and run.

"O-Oh…" He muttered, head held low in shame, as he slowly backed away from her. "O-O-Okie dokie…"

She continued her harsh scowl, her eyebrows furrowed in a stone cold face. It seemed as though her meer stare alone was pushing him away, like some kind of unrelenting force.

"Ah'll jest bah shovin' off now…" He informed her, himself eventually disappearing out of the cave, still in a state of humiliation.

Her hardened scowl eventually lifted into a satisfied smirk at his obedience.

She found it hard to believe that somepony like Soul Glow just happened upon The Castle of The Two Sisters.

It was almost perfect.

She had fed on his lifeforce for many years, slowly regaining her dark powers until she was strong enough to break free from the moon, all the while she had been whispering sweet lies into his head, messing with his psyche, turning him into an obedient slave, and a very dumb one at that. Afterall, there had been many times that she had neglected him, both before and after her return, and through all the pain and sorrow that she put him through, he still thought that she was his friend.

"What an idiot…" She amusingly muttered to herself, Soul Glow all too far away to her such an insult.

Soul Glow himself had already left the cave, now trudging through the wild Everfree Forest and to Ponyville, contemplation and deep thought being his only companions.

Even if he had been raised in a rather unorthodox manner, he was still able to identify what joy was, as well as pain. And with Nightmare Moon, both emotionally and physically, pain was what he most felt.

But it was difficult at best. Joy was something which was difficult to come by, something which he didn't understand very well. He had no solid grasp of it, perhaps joy was something that was rare amongst all ponies. It couldn't be that he genuinely lacked joy whilst being around Nightmare Moon.

Maybe pain was just the way things were, at least in a Celestia ruled Equestria.

Yes, that must be it. Soul Glow must be in pain, a lack of joy, due to her continued rule on the land.

There was still one thought that dwelled within the young stallion, and it was one which never left his mind, no matter how hard he tried.

Nightmare Moon wasn't as great and nice as he thought she was.

* * *

Getting into Ponyville was just as easy as the last time.

His face had already been identified and categorized by those six ponies he encountered earlier, and he had been labeled as an underling to Nightmare Moon, and thus as subject to arrest.

However, the average pony was largely unaware of what he looked like, Soul Glow's image being alienated by the far more sinister and notorious face of Nightmare Moon. To most other ponies, even after the events of a few days ago, Soul Glow just seemed like a particularly interesting leather tramp.

His presence was hardly met with any glances as he entered the town.

Overall, much of it was still the same. Despite Nightmare Moon's return, the ponies of Ponyville still went about their day, going to and from work, foals playing on the sidewalk, or other busy ponies wandering the streets.

This made Soul Glow raise one of his unkempt and dirty eyebrows.

He thought that everypony would've rallied behind Nightmare Moon by now. Afterall, he was taught that everypony was held as a slave to Celestia, and any type of open rebellion would inspire them to do the same.

But no, it seemed as though that was not the case. Rather than a rebellion, an occasional argument between the ponies at the market stalls was the only sign of discontent.

It did indeed seem like life was still remaining.

He slowly walked through the town, looking this way and that, each glance only serving to confuse him more.

Something was wrong here, the ponies weren't supposed to be acting like this.

He continued his glances, where he saw the village bulletin board, it being used as a medium to communicate any important events, either in Ponyville or Equestria wide.

Walking up to it, he saw many pieces of paper and articles pinned to the board, himself never learned to read.

However he saw two pictures, where familiar faces flashed before him.

Going up to the bulletin board, he saw two posters, himself not realizing them as wanted posters.

Although he was unable to read what it wrote, he could make out the pictures just as well as anypony.

He saw an image which looked like himself, but it was very off putting.

He was depicted as a lankey pony. And while this was the case, himself having a rather tall but malnourished frame, it was greatly exaggerated, himself having more of the body of a pole rather than a pony.

His wild hair was also exaggerated, depicted almost as a mass of tentacles, magically able to ensure anypony with a tight and merciless grasp.

Underneath his evil snarl were yellowed teeth, his eyes burned with hatred.

However, whatever he might of felt towards this depiction was completely forgotten about as he saw the one next to it.

It was a twisted image, an absolutely horrible and blasphemous creation..

The flowing and beautiful mane of Nightmare Moon had been replaced by an ugly and molting piece, her hair covered in spiders, her horn jagged.

Her face bore a sharp scowl, brows lowered in anger, yellowed teeth sharp and ready to bite.

He would not allow such a disgrace image of her to hang freely!

He let out a ravenous snarl, gripping at the poster with his mouth, tearing it off the billboard before gnashing and ripping it apart, bits of paper in between his teeth.

This animalistic action caught the attention of many nearby ponies, and after seeing Soul Glow and the wanted poster side by side, were able to put two and two together.

"It's him!" One pony declared, herself backing away as she shivered in fear.

"He's back!" A colt cried out, dropping his barrel of produce as he quickly galloped away.

Still enraged by this portrayal of Nightmare Moon, Soul Glow went to work.

With a flash of his horn, flame met the wooden roof of a nearby building, the whole things setting alight.

Another flash, and a tree burst into flames, the dry summer leaves providing excellent kindling.

A few seconds later and another roof was set alight, the flames quickly spreading to an adjacent building.

To any other pony, such heartless arson would be seen as a sign of evil. The ponies who owned these buildings had done nothing to neither Soul Glow nor Nightmare Moon. They deserved none of this.

However, the stallion's already weak mind has succumbed to the lies of Nightmare Moon long ago, her words still ringing in his ears like a high pitched buzz.

If they weren't with them, they were against them.

Soul Glow grinned at the lack of resistance he met from his destruction.

The townsponies must appreciate the work he was doing, afterall, none of them tried to stop him. And he didn't meet any aggression from royal guards, they must be too scared of him to dare challenge.

What Soul Glow didn't know were that guards were at the moment spread very thin around Equestria, themselves searching tirelessly for Nightmare Moon. To them, most had not even heard of the companion she had, let alone actively looking for him as well.

Nightmare Moon was priority number one, thus leaving Ponyville with no guards to stop such violence. Afterall, why would Nightmare Moon waste her time with a small town, rather than a much larger and important city?

Not understanding these facts, he picked up a stone with his mouth, and with one swift jerk of the neck, the stone flew, smashing into a nearby window.

He stared at the same building, and with a flash of his horn, a small fire was conjured, itself splashing against the side, slowly spreading.

He repeated this process to another nearby building, this time hitting the door.

Nopony would escape that building so easily.

But still, even if he was having a field day, the other ponies were cowering in fear, practically trampling over each other to stay clear of this monster which had invaded their peaceful town.

Even the emotionally blind Soul Glow knew a crying face when he saw one, and he was confused by this.

The idea that the townsponies liked his actions was now gone from him.

It quickly turned into a frustrated anger, himself already tired from his attempts at liberating them from Celestia.

"Why dah ya run?!" He cried out to the terrified ponies, unable to comprehend their justifiable responses. "Can't ya see ah'm helpin' ya?!"

He was completely lost.

He was told that these actions were good in spirit and would bring about a great change, he believed every word of what was told to him.

But still, screaming ponies, little foals crying and running for their lives, that didn't sound very good to Soul Glow.

He had believed Nightmare Moon's words, that the ponies would see this as a sign of Celestia's weakness and come to their side, or maybe be inspired by such an outcry and carry out their own rebellious arson.

But that was not happening. If the tears of the young could be concentrated, his fires would be put out, the dirt ground was practically compact from the galloping hooves.

He also felt a heavy feeling in his chest, something which he couldn't describe. It was as if a needle had been hammered into his heart, and the pain only grew worse as he continued.

Why did doing good feel so bad?

Before he had further time to think this through, he heard a shout coming from behind.

"Stop right there!"

Turning around, he encountered the same six ponies from a few days ago.

They were all there, scowling in anger, hooves, wings, and horn at the ready.

Just like when they met in The Everfree Forest.

Most of these ponies had homes and families in this very town, the very town which Soul Glow was threatening.

However, Fluttershy still buried herself behind her friends, herself never quite forgetting their first encounter, how close he was to her, and how unhinged he had become.

Due to Soul Glow's low intelligence and forgetful nature, mostly due to years of being forced to forget his former life, the figures before him only looked familiar.

He recognized them as the ponies he met earlier, that they were the ones which Nightmare Moon had warned him about, and as the ones who stood in his way multiple times. However, the details of such encounters escaped him, such as his treatment of Fluttershy or the energy of Pinkie Pie.

Twilight, still a bit overcome by such destruction, gazed around at Soul Glow's handiwork.

She saw a few of the buildings not quite ablaze, but still suffering from fire damage, many of their windows broken, and even a carriage overturned on its side, perhaps abandoned and trampled over from the fearful mob.

This was her home, and these ponies whose houses were on fire were now her neighbors, and she would fight to protect them.

What was worse about the whole thing was that these were pony civilians, mothers, fathers, and foals, who had done nothing to Soul Glow. This was simply an act of evil.

The normally calm and friendly Twilight turned to anger, her purple face turning rage red.

"You won't get away with this!" The unicorn declared, pointing a hoof at him. "Evil will never triumph over good!"

Soul Glow stuck out his tongue in disgust at her words.

He was sick of these pretenders acting like they were the good ones, when in fact it was them that was causing Equestria misery and harm.

Nightmare Moon had told him that it was these very ponies, those who follow Celestia's rule, who were the enemy of the ponies, and were nothing more than power hungry and corrupt, plundering the poor ponies of their wealth without any second thought.

"You's dah evil one." Soul Glow growled at them, Nightmare Moon's tall tales of their exploits fresh in his mind. "Nightmare Moon bah dah best pony out dar! Dar ain't a thang 'bout har dat bah evil."

"Her name is _Nightmare Moon_!" Rainbow Dash shouted at him, throwing her hooves in the air in exasperation. "You can't get a more evil sounding name than that!"

"We don't have any names like that on our side." Rarity pointed out in her posh tone. "Afterall, does Pinkie Pie sound like the name of somepony evil?"

"My first name, Pinkamena, does have a bit of a gloom to it." Pinkie Pie countered her companion.

"But nothing like Nightmare Moon." Rainbow Dash reminded her, smiling slightly at their casual banter. "I mean, she might as well have called herself 'Queen Bad Pony The Not Nice'."

"Nightmare Moon bah da nicest pony 'round!" Soul Glow snapped at them, unable to take their conversation any longer as he slammed his hooves to the ground in rage. "Ah follow har words tah da letter! She bah very noble. Ya's bah da evil ones! She told muh!"

"She told you that we were the evil ones, and you were noble?!" Twilight questioned him, herself motioning towards the destruction he caused. "Look around! What about this seems noble?!"

Multiple buildings were now suffering from a worsening flame damage, many of their windows having been destroyed from stone and spell. Stores and homes, it didn't matter, they all went up in flames just the same. It was likely that due to this damage, much repair was needed which would take intensive days of labor, and at least a few ponies were now temporarily homeless.

However, all this truth was useless, for the blindfold was still strong over his eyes.

He could've blown up all of Ponyville, leaving countless ponies homeless and hurt, and still declare himself as having the moral high ground.

"Dis comin' from ya?!" He spat at her while the burning flames were still hot. "A ruthless bully o' Celestia?!"

To him, she was just that, a mere bully of the Princess, whose face would only twist into a smile upon witnessing the suffering of others. That all Twilight wished for was a pony to rob or a village to burn to the ground.

It was a twisted image of her, one that only Soul Glow truly believed in, and an image which only sparked confusion in Twilight.

"Pardon?" She questioned at his claim, tilting her head in confusion.

She was hardly a 'ruthless bully of Celestia', and instead just a simple pupil, taught in the arts of magic with a few friendship lessons here and there.

But Soul Glow saw it in another way.

And to him, it was his moral duty not only to his mission, but to the ponies of Equestria, to enact justice onto her, to strike her down where she stands, and ensure the rest of her life is spent behind bars or something similar.

"Nightmare Moon told mah dat if ah see you's, ah should run." He declared. "Buh dis is an order ah'll hafta disobey!"

He dipped his body low to the ground, a fighting stance that he had seen many creatures in The Everfree Forest do.

His horn glowed and flickered with a flame at the ready, himself scratching the ground, as if about to charge.

"She'll bah 'appy tah know you's bah defeated." He muttered to them, his eyes never leaving them.

"Just try us, _No _Glow!" Rainbow Dash insulted his name, smashing her hooves together in a challenge.

"You can't take us all on." Twilight informed him, herself also at the ready. "Afterall, there's only one of you and six of us."

This was the truth, probably the most truthful thing that stallion had heard in a long time. He was hungry, tired, deprived of everything except artificial hate. He was hardly any stronger than a well built Earth pony foal, himself having never heard of a proper diet and exercise.

But under the vast indoctrination he had gone through, it didn't matter. He had been taught that his actions, coming from the wishes of Nightmare Moon, were just, and thus would always come through in the end.

It didn't matter if it was Soul Glow versus the whole of Equestria. He would still think of himself as invincible.

Afterall, in his eyes he had received the blessings and trainings of Nightmare Moon, that as long as he fought on the side of justice, he would always prevail against evil of any kind.

However, he was wrong on both accounts. Not only had he received no such blessings from Nightmare Moon, but he was also not fighting on the side of good, far from it in fact.

But these facts were unknown to him as he lowered his head, his horn pointed at the group.

He felt fury at them, that they had tried again and again to destroy Nightmare Moon's plans and hinder her influence. It was near blasphemy to him.

His anger channeled, he fired a rather sizable burst stream of destructive fire at the group, thinking that this would take them out quickly.

However, the purple pony simply stepped forward, summoning a magical shield which enveloped her friends.

Upon their clash, the fire simply evaporated, leaving behind a puff of some which eventually floated away into the sky.

His flame may have proved effective at taking on a wooden building, but to a lifelong practitioner of magic, it was nothing but a mere candle wick, a candle wick which could merely be blown out like any of the other ones.

Apple Jack, herself having always been the bold one, stepped forward from Twilight's shield.

She perhaps had the most at stake than any other pony here.

Her very livelihood was in Ponyville, her very family. Sure, Pinkie Pie and Rarity had homes in Ponyville, and Twilight had recently taken residence, but none had family here.

For Apple Jack, Soul Glow had not only threatened Ponyville, but her family, her grandmother, her big brother, her little sister, and nopony messes with another pony's family.

With these feelings fresh in her mind, she charged at him.

While she couldn't use magic or fly, she could surely beat some sense into him.

Soul Glow raised a hoof into the air, himself eager to take on what he saw as an evil creature.

As the distance closed, Soul Glow threw his hoof at her, with as much strength and energy as he could muster.

The lifelong apple farmer easily blocked his flimsy punch, and returned the favor in kind.

Her rock hard hoof landed a solid blow on his cheek, her apple hauling strength causing him to reel in both pain and shock.

Soul Glow himself was quite fragile and thin, himself never quite having much meat on his bones.

He put a hoof to his face, and the pain only increased.

He was surprised by this sharp burn on his face. He wasn't bleeding by any means, but a deep purple bruise had already started to take shape.

He had thought of himself as invincible, with instincts so sharp that he could dodge lightning from the most powerful of storm clouds, that even an avalanche wouldn't cause the slightest discomfort to him.

This pain that he was feeling right now, himself being struck with such fury, it left an imprint on him far worse than any punch could.

He thought that evil would always flee in the face of good, that the righteousness of such ponies would easily overpower such decrepit and horrible ways, Nightmare Moon told him so.

The fact that this pony, this evil creature, was able to land a painful punch on himself, which he saw as wholly good, was ground shaking to him.

As he continued to ponder this, Rainbow Dash was taking the initiative.

That blow from Apple Jack had caused Soul Glow to stumble, exposing his soft underbelly.

Teeth gritted in sheer determination, Rainbow Dash took flight as she surged through the air, her hair flailing wildly, her hooves outstretched, wings beating harder than ever before.

Soul Glow's stomach was free real estate to her as her hooves slammed into it, knocking the wind out of him, and throwing him to the ground.

He choked on air, couldn't breathe, and felt like vomiting.

The wind was knocked out of him, and so had his energy to fight.

"Whah is dis?!" He gasped out, clinging to his abused stomach.

He was surprised by how overwhelming the six ponies were. At this moment, he thought of them as someponies born of dark magic, pure corruption and pure evil, nothing redeemable in any sort. That was the only explanation he could think of.

However, what he couldn't understand was that the ponies were born in the same manner as Soul Glow, and in fact were much nicer and more aligned with good than the young stallion was.

Additionally, he was one who would eat perhaps a grape or two a day, who's muscles and bones never had time or the resources to develop or grow. He, perhaps, was physically weaker now than he was all those years ago. At least living on the family farm ensured him at least one or two decent meals a day.

Afterall, a malnourished and untrained fighter made for a very bad one.

Only a few moments into the battle, and he was already panting, heavy breathing due to his exertions.

Truth be told, the better part of his magic had already been used destroying those buildings.

One who doesn't have much energy to begin with finds it hard to replace what is lost.

"C'mon, everypony!" Apple Jack declared, herself also coming to this realization. "This jerk ain't so tough after all!"

All the ponies then charged at him, even Fluttershy seemed eager to drive this villain out of town.

Soul Glow then remembered, it was as if the flashes of anger and rage from the other ponies triggered this memory.

He remembered full well meeting them in The Everfree Forest, how evil they were. At the very utterance of Nightmare Moon, a pony of pure heart, they were immediately disgusted and turned hostile. It was as if these ponies were so evil, that any mention of good brought out the worst in them.

They must be ponies of pure evil and no sympathy.

This thought caused Soul Glow to shake in fear. They had no mercy and would surely harm him more if given the chance.

At this moment, being surrounded by what he saw as the root of all evil, and knowing that he couldn't even hope to take them on, he desperately wished to be with Nightmare Moon, to embrace her love, herself shielding him from harm as her light blinded the darkness.

The feeling was similar to a child being lost in a grocery store, mother nowhere in sight.

And just like any child without his mother, he ran away.

No, he bolted, himself perhaps running faster, and in far more fear, than the past fleeing townponies.

In a few mere moments, the six ponies were able to not only engage, but defeat the scourge of Ponyville and keep the citizens safe.

It would be a noteworthy feat if their opponent wasn't an illiterate and malnourished country bumpkin who couldn't even win a fight with a foal.

A very underwhelming story it would be.

While the six more or else relaxed upon seeing that his energy had been spent, Soul Glow rubbed his injured gut, while his face still throbbed from the earlier punch.

He had been living, isolated in the woods all of his life, no real injuries came from that. The only pain he really felt was hunger pains.

But, of course they wouldn't let him get away so easily.

As soon as Soul Glow ran, the mane six followed, himself fleeing from town and entering the forest.

Here, Rainbow Dash was forced to run with her hooves like the rest of the ponies, her advanced and notorious speed now useless.

Once again, he found himself retreating from the six, unkempt tail in between his hind legs.

In fact, the same events were taking place as of last time. Every step proved to be a blunder, tripping over a rock, hoof caught in an unexpected vine.

Little by little, the mane six would slowly but surely greaten the distance, himself gaining a sizable gap between the six.

This was his home, where he had lived since the beginning. He was familiar with this neck of the woods as he was with his right hoof. He was able to dodge and avoid, while the six ponies practically were falling over each other, eager to bring Soul Glow to justice.

All the while Soul Glow was fueled by his adrenaline, himself still thinking he was being chased by demons or something similar, ponies who would want nothing more than to do him harm.

* * *

Soul Glow carried on through the woods, dried sweat mixed with dirt clinging to his wild coat of fur.

He had lost them a long time ago, but he had also lost himself.

No, not psychologically. If anything, his second encounter with those six ponies only hardened his belief that they were evil and he was good.

No, he was lost on a literal level.

Sure, he may have lived all of his life either in or around The Everfree Forest, but most of that time was spent confined to one certain area, either the forgotten farmhouse or the Castle of The Two Sisters.

All of those years he had been confined to the castle, and the nearby woods. He only knew a little of the forest, and knew it well. However, this left everything else very unfamiliar with him.

In this neck of the woods, he may as well be a cavepony lost in the big city.

His pace was slow and steady, the adrenaline of his retreat having long been used up, replace with an aching sore in all four of his legs.

Even if his past adrenaline rush had temporarily alleviate the pain in his legs, the pulsating sensation on his face never left him, neither did the cramp in his stomach, Rainbow Dash's hoof prints very visible in the middle of an ugly mix of purple and red bruises.

The one on the stomach did hurt a great deal, but it was the one on his face that caused the most pain.

Every little cool summer breeze, every stretch of his jaw as he took a breath, every vine or leaf that fell onto his face as he moved, all caused hot flashes of pain and misery onto him.

Soul Glow touched the injury once again, the slight sting now turning into a violent burn, himself quickly yelping out in pain.

He would never forget nor forgive those ponies for what they had done to him. It was their fault that he had sustained this wound. To him, this was a brief example of what all of Equestria was currently facing at this very moment, a perpetual slap in the face from this royal reign of terror.

If anything, this pain only hardened his resistance against anypony who claims to follow Celestia.

He continued to stumble his way through the forest, weakly turning his head this way and that, hoping to find anything that might strike familiarity within him.

However, as he trekked his way through the mud and weeds, he saw something which stood out from the rest of the untamed forest.

At the very edge of a small clearing was a large tree hollow, accompanied by a well worn wooden door. The tree itself was as wild as everything else in the forest, covered in decorations that sent chills down Soul Glow's spine.

Even if the decorations were off putting, Soul Glow knew that a home meant that somepony was nearby, maybe somepony who could help him.

With this thought in mind, Soul Glow began to hobble his way over to the strange house, his weak legs desperate to keep up with his sporadic movements.

Tripping over a rock, he crashed against the door, letting out a loud thud before falling to the forest ground.

He saw stars as his head wobbled, himself already disoriented.

He closed his eyes, the stars still persisting, but himself feeling slightly more relaxed.

He was laying down on a slightly comfortable dirt forest floor, his eyes closed, his whole body sore, his mind tired. At this moment, Soul Glow simply wished to stay there laying down and sleep forever.

However, that was not to be, as he heard the creaking of an opening door, causing Soul Glow's eyes to do the same.

He saw hooves, and looking up he encountered a creature which Soul Glow had never seen before.

She looked largely like any other pony. She had a gray and white mohawk mane.

Her build was just like that of any other Earth Pony, but the colors she bore were anything other than that. She had many stripes against her fur, matching that of her mane.

Gold bands decorated her ears, neck, and one of her legs.

Everything about her seemed totally alien and foreign.

Soul Glow truly had never seen anypony like her.

Staring at the collapsed stallion before her, she did not look surprised or confused, only a slight sadness to her eyes.

"Hello, my little pony." She finally spoke, herself having a rather mysterious tone to her voice."Come, come, and let me inform you of this phony."

She was a zebra, one who had lived alone in The Everfree Forest since before Soul Glow was even born.

With ease, she lifted the very light pony, having him lay on her back as she walking into the house.

Soul Glow, being too tired to even mumble a protest, simply let out a slight groan.

All he could do was watch on as he was taken inside of her hut.

He saw crudely made wooden tables filled with an assortment of items.

He saw a mix of used and unused test tubes, all of them varying in quality and worness. He also saw a large variety of ingredients, from several types of mushrooms, grass, colored liquids, all cluttered together in what one could only describe as an organized mess.

He also saw a giant cauldron in the middle of the room, the fireplace under it containing a few chunks of charcoal, still glowing from a recent brew.

However, the zebra's focus wasn't on any of tools, but on where to place this injured pony.

She carried him to her bed, bending down as she dumped him onto it.

Even as she plopped him onto the bed, Soul Glow didn't feel pain from the impact, only pleasure.

It had been many years since Soul Glow had ever slept in a bed, and never had he been in one so soft.

Even in the farmhouse from so long ago, it had been a bed made of dried and dusty straw, containing about as many bugs and insects as his unkempt hair did.

But this was something different, something much more clean and comfortable.

The only thing he could compare it too was a pile of leaves, but even that was a far cry to what he was experiencing now.

But even under this newfound sensational pleasure, he was still riddled with confusion.

He had been isolated for many years from others, Nightmare Moon being his only friend. Now, days after exposing himself to the outside world, he had been chased on numerous occasions, himself and Nightmare Moon being called terrible things, and even got into a fight with a group of violent mares.

To Soul Glow, this hospitality from somepony other than Nightmare Moon was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.

"How…" He groaned, wounds and confusion only worsening his speech. "How dah ya know muh?"

The zebra didn't say anything at first, only gazing at him with that same sadness, perhaps even a hint of self guilt.

Perhaps she was trying to work out what he had said under that thick accent of his, or even working out what she was going to say.

"I have known of you for a long time, hard to ignore all of your crime." She finally said. "Even when you were a filly, I knew your actions were far from silly."

In truth, she had known of his permanent residence in The Everfree Forest ever since it started.

She was a wanderer of the woods, and would happen upon him from time to time, Soul Glow being so clueless that he didn't even realize somepony would watch him on the occasion.

It was due to two reasons that she would do this.

One was that Zecora was naturally a caring creature, herself worried about such a young foal living in such a dangerous place. She felt as if it was her duty to ensure his safety was kept.

But she was also curious. On the occasion, she would visit The Castle of The Two Sisters, where Soul Glow called home, stealthily leaving the young foal a meal or two.

It looked as if he was waiting for somepony who would never come.

However, it was only recently that she found out just what he was waiting for.

And only now was it too late.

But that didn't matter anymore. What he had been waiting for had already come, and there was no use dwelling on this. All she knew was that there was an injured and disoriented pony by her side, and she felt more than obligated to help.

In truth, she felt partly responsible for Soul Glow's current path as well as Nightmare Moon's return.

If only she had somehow known, put two and two together, and realize just what that young filly had been searching for. If only she had talked to him, rather than treat him with the same curious but cautious observance that she gave all other ponies. Maybe she could've discouraged him from taking such a path. She felt an obligation to help amend his wounds, both the physical and the psyche.

It had also been a long while since she had seen a pony, the last one having run from her in fear, as did most who saw her.

To have a visitor who didn't do such a thing made her feel good.

She stared at the injury on his cheek.

While it was nothing at all serious, Soul Glow was sporting a pretty nasty purple and black bruise, itself already forming a hard bump, much like a bee sting.

Whatever did this to him must've packed quite the power.

While it would naturally heal with time, it may grow infected unless cleaned and washed properly.

Zecora turned to her bedside table, and with her mouth, pulled out a bottle of disinfectant and a clean washcloth.

Soul Glow jumped upon seeing what she was holding, having never seen such items before in his life.

His heart was now racing as his eyes bounced around the room like a frightened rabbit. His tired state now completely gone, himself now fully conscious and aware of his surroundings.

"Calm yourself…" She told him, gently easing him back onto the bed with a strong hoof. "I only wish to heal you. I swear, that is all true."

Something about her, the way she talked to him, the smooth and friendly expression on her face, told Soul Glow that he could trust her.

Truthfully, it reminded him of Nightmare Moon, although Zecora actually cared for the colt.

With the unicorn now calm, Zecora opened the disinfectant bottle with her mouth, dabbing the cloth with it.

Holding it with her hoof, she placed the slightly wet cloth against his bruise.

The stallion let out a low whine at this, the liquid causing a terrible burning sensation on his cheek. It eventually died down, and was replaced by a smooth cool feeling, similar to the numbness of ice or the cool breeze of mint.

Zecora removed the cloth from his face, pleased to see it was already looking cleaner than before.

However, even the slightest rub of his hoof or the natural dirt of the forest could undo her work.

Thinking of this, she also grabbed a bandage, placing against his now cleaned injury, preventing further risk of infection.

Soul Glow looked at the bandage that was placed on his cheek, the creams she had used to soothe his pain and clean his bruise.

In his eyes, this was not a random act of kindness, but instead a show of loyalty from Zecora.

"So den, you's must bah a friend tah Nightmare Moon?" Soul Glow came to the conclusion, looking up at her as he laid on the bed.

The zebra shook her head at this.

"I am not affiliated with Nightmare Moon." She admitted to him. "In fact, she can be quite the prune."

This had not been the first time somepony had insulted Nightmare Moon in the presence of him, and he would treat it just the same as before.

"Shut yer mouth!" He cried out, already forgetting what kindness she had done for him. "'Fore ah shut it fer ya!"

Zecora was not at all taken aback or fearful of this idle threat.

Living in the Everfree Forest, alone, for most of her life had toughened her up to the worst kinds of things like nothing before. She had her home in the very forest which most ponies would never even think of entering, and thus had plenty of experience dealing with wild and dangerous creatures.

To her, Soul Glow was a break from it all, at least the other creatures had the proper strength to fight.

If anything, it only reminded her further of just what sort of mind he was in right now, and how it could've been avoided.

"Hatred can only take you so far." She warned him. "To say otherwise would make you a liar."

Zecora saw this as one in a million, a chance where she could at least challenge Soul Glow's beliefs, and perhaps even bring him back to the light.

She was yearning to help him.

"Ah'm not hateful!" He cried out. "Nightmare Moon told muh dat! Ah's bah good!"

With gritted teeth, he slowly sat up from the bed, his eyes once again filled with rage.

She had insulted Nightmare Moon, and had even questioned both her and his actions.

Zecora had already lost him, even if she didn't quite know it. As soon as she questioned Nightmare Moon, there was no way of returning to a normal conversation, or any for that matter.

His horn lightly glowed with a nasty orange aura, and as the last of his energy faded away, fizzled out into nothing, himself collapsing back into bed, a sweat against his fur.

"My ointments and creams have made you tire." Zecora explained. "Unable to summon your evil fire."

"It's not evil!" He corrected her, himself becoming even more distraught. "Ah use it fer good!"

The zebra raised an eyebrow at this claim, asking

"Turning everpony's house into firewood? To you, this sounds good?"

"Day were 'gainst Nightmare Moon." He explained, frustrated that nopony seemed to understand. "Dat's reason 'nuff fer muh."

Zecora took a heavy breath through her nostrils, unable to understand just how a pony could think such things.

"Even so." She told him, still in her calm voice. "To follow such a thing as her will only cause you woe."

That was the last straw for Soul Glow.

"Git away from muh!" He demanded, flinging his limbs around like a foal. "You's bah evil, 'n ah doan talk tah evil folk!"

With the last reserves of his rage filled strength, he quickly sat up from the bed, himself wobbling towards the door, still weak from the fight.

She did not stop him. She knew that it would be pointless.

Afterall, any animal that feels as though it was trapped would eventually lash out and fight, something which she had learned many times over in these woods.

While Soul Glow posed no threat, and this hardy zebra could easily overpower him, it would only do more harm than good. Nothing would change from such an engagement, and Soul Glow would still remain the same, perhaps even more rooted in his beliefs than ever before.

She had eased the pain in his wounds, even assisting in their recovery. That would have to be enough for now.

All she could do right now was stare on at the struggling pony, her mind in an absolute mix of emotions.

She didn't wish to be around such evil, such negative influences, but she felt partial guilt over what had happened.

Even if it was long ago, she still remembered when Soul Glow first came to the forest, still a lovable foal, bouncing around, his talent for music matched only by the birds.

But now that was gone, or at least covered up, thanks to a monster.

Soul Glow grunted to himself as he exited the door, taking great care not to trip on the same rock from last time.

He only looked back when he heard her voice again.

"In that case…" She told him as she stood in the doorway, referring to his last spoken sentence to her. "Perhaps, your relationship with Nightmare Moon, you should erase."

And with her piece of advice, she closed the door, leaving Soul Glow alone again in the forest.

"Ah'll erase ya!" He cried out, waving a hoof angrily at the closed door.

And that wasn't going to be a mere threat.

He lowered his head, pointing his horn at her home.

He would set the whole hut on fire, just like in Ponyville.

His eyes bulged out, his white face turning red, as he tried to squeeze out the magic that he did not have.

He continued to grunt and groan until his reserves of oxygen gave out, himself gasping for air due to his exertion.

She got lucky this time.

But one day he would return, and deliver the same treatment he would give to all ponies who supported the evil of Celestia, and turn away from the wholly goodness of Nightmare Moon.

And with that, he took an about face, himself wishing to leave this clearing as soon as possible.

He went back to his long march, his mind now back to where it was from the beginning, finding Nightmare Moon.

He wasn't sure if Nightmare Moon would be angry or not with him. He did what he was assigned to do, after all. He created quite the commotion in Ponyville, which would divert Celestia's attention for at least some time, and Soul Glow was sure that he damaged a few valuable buildings. He did what he was told. At least, until those six ponies arrived.

He had been warned by Nightmare Moon, that any pony would have a difficult time fighting six at once, let alone somepony as weak and malnourished as Soul Glow.

He had defied her, and for that he felt great shame, it being even more damaging than whatever wounds they could dish out.

Soul Glow had always followed Nightmare Moon's instructions, both before and after her return. He was in unfamiliar territory at this point, himself very unsure of how she would react to such open defiance. At this point, only one thing was truly for sure.

He was going to have a lot of explaining to do when he got back.

* * *

****Author's Note: So Soul Glow got pretty recked by his first fight against the mane six, but maybe his encounter with Zecora will help turn him away from Nightmare Moon? Anyway, big thanks to Spirit Of Fantasy and MissEljebel for critiquing my work. Couldn't do it without them!****

**Don't forget to follow, favorite, and leave a comment. Love you guys and girls to death, and keep a lookout for the next chapter! It'll be good!**


	4. The Last Chance

**Author's Note: It's been almost two months since my last update, but I've been pretty busy. But, hey, I got a load of writing done in the mean time. That's right, I'll be posting the next chapter tomorrow! But that's tomorrow, so for now, please enjoy this next chapter!**

* * *

Soul Glow had arrived in a panicked state, mostly due to the result of his wounds and the fear that the six ponies had followed him.

However, the result was the same as when he first met them in The Everfree Forest.

The terrain was too rugged, too treacherous and too overgrown to allow a group of six ponies space to run as a pack. Not only did they keep tripping over themselves, but they had lost him in the dense brush fairly quickly.

And there was still the case of that strange pony in the hut, if she was even a pony.

Soul Glow had personally never seen anything like her before. Sure, she had the shape of a pony, even adorned with a cutie mark of her own. However, it was her stripes, the color of her fur that was very unlike anything else, and her accent as well was unknown.

But all of that didn't matter now.

His journey back to the cave had been unadventurous.

It didn't matter if the six ponies, and even that evil tyrant Celestia, was descending upon the cave.

For now, he was back within Nightmare Moon's embrace, her protection. He felt that as long as he was by her side, the whole world couldn't hurt him.

However, it was at this moment that Nightmare Moon did wish to hurt Soul Glow.

As Soul Glow told the story to her, Nightmare Moon listened, methodically memorizing every little detail in his encounter with the six.

Even if he did fail, perhaps what he learned from his defeat could be applied to Nightmare Moon, ensuring that they would fall quickly and easily.

Nightmare Moon didn't speak, letting him talk, herself taking an occasional breath through her nose.

"It was cray!" Soul Glow cried out as he recounted the details. "Ah was doin' jest whah ya ask o' muh, burin' dat town 'n all, 'n den dem six ponies from 'fore came 'n attacked muh!"

Just the thought of those six, the evil and strength that they had made him shiver in anger. It was unfair that ponies that evil were allowed to not only roam free, but to also be able to display their power in such a horrible way.

He gritted his unkempt teeth together as he said

"Ah saw dem, 'n we fought."

Nightmare Moon's body stiffened upon hearing these words

"You don't say…" She muttered, her eyes closed and mouth pursed at this sudden rise of anger.

Nightmare Moon had specifically told Soul Glow not to challenge those six ponies, at least for the time being.

He had deliberately gone against those orders, and Nightmare Moon as a result. And that was something that was not taken lightly be her.

But still, she thought it wise to let him continue, should he have any information of value.

"Dey got muh good. Ah reckon deys bah too evil fer mah tah 'andle." He thought out loud.

Although Soul Glow hated to admit it, that fight was hardly a fight at all. As soon as the situation took a serious turn, he was already running back to Nightmare Moon.

He was very minor in comparison to the six ponies, easily brushed aside like nothing. All the while Nightmare Moon wasn't even discouraged by the news of these six, no expressions of worry, only a blank and uninterested stare as she listened on.

This only made him ponder even more of the power gap between himself and Nightmare Moon.

Why, if she could dispatch of these six powerful and fearsome ponies with no trouble, then she must be a righteous and duty filled pony!

"Ah ran tah dah ferest tah try 'n find ya." Soul Glow stopped himself as he recounted the events with that strange mare he met. "Den ah met somepony in a wigwam..."

Even now, many hours later, it was still something peculiar.

He had lived in The Everfree Forest his whole life, and never remembered seeing anypony else there. All he had was Nightmare Moon.

This was the first detail that actually drove interested within the dark pony.

"You found somepony living in The Everfree Forest?" She asked him, taking a slight sudden interest in his story.

She too never expected this to come up.

Even Nightmare Moon was unaware of other ponies living in The Everfree Forest.

Sure, she did know that the occasional pony would trek through, perhaps on a simple nature walk. But somepony living in there, that was something she did not take into account.

"She was lookin' like a nice pony, 'n den she started talkin' bad 'bout ya." Soul Glow told her, growling a little as he recounted her words.

Nightmare Moon herself also felt a small tinge of anger upon hearing this.

Although she hid her emotions well, she was often quick to anger, especially if it was a personal insult upon her. If that utterer of that horrible slander was here right now, she would show her just what kind of monster she could be.

"She matters little to us." She finally came to the conclusion, brushing her off. "She is just another forest rat, a hermit who doesn't mean anything."

Nightmare Moon had to admit, however, that it would be interesting to know just how such a pony could live in such a dangerous place for so long.

She must've been somepony of great knowledge, perhaps even powerful to tame the creatures and the environment around her, shaping it into a home. The wild beasts and poisonous plants of the forest were not something to scoff at by anypony. However this nameless mare was able to create an existence all in the middle of it.

Nightmare Moon brushed her thoughts aside.

"As curious as that might be, this changes nothing on the matter." She told him.

She glanced at Soul Glow, thinking of another thing he said as interesting.

"But I must ask you this…" She informs him, her head turning slightly in question. "Why was it that you went against my orders? Why is it that you chose to engage with those six, even though I told you not to?"

Her tone was completely lacking the typical rage that one would expect when disobeying an order from her.

Even somepony as socially inept as Soul Glow could see that she wasn't angered, but perhaps curious with a hint of confusion.

Soul Glow himself wasn't entirely sure why he lashed out at the six, despite being directly told not too.

"Ah...ah jest doan know." He muttered out, at a loss of words. "Ah saw dem, 'n jest lost control."

Nightmare Moon went silent at this as she thought to herself.

"Lost control…" She muttered to herself in deep contemplation.

She closed her eyes as she relived what she was told, as if imagining it in her head.

"Once you laid eyes on them, you flew into a rage, anger became your guide as you attempted to carve a path towards their destruction…"

What startled Soul Glow most about this situation was not her possible response to this act of defiance, but the current state of her.

It was truly a rarity to see Nightmare Moon in such a way.

Normally, she would have all the answers and responses to every situation, or at least pretend to do so. But to see her now, in deep contemplation, lost in this news was something that was rarely shown.

"You know, Soul Glow?" She finally let out. "Even though I've known you for many years, you somehow continue to surprise me."

"Whah dah ya mean?" He asked, even more confused now.

"It's your bloodlust." She simply said.

Soul Glow stared blankly at her.

He wasn't sure how to respond to such a statement.

In all of his time with her, she wasn't one to compliment many things about him, his 'bloodlust' never coming up.

He still saw himself as a mere limb to the ultimate body of justice and peace, that would crush the darkness of Celestia and restore freedom to Equestria. He didn't see himself as having any such bloodlust.

"Although your betrayal of my orders has stirred up anger within me, hearing of why has me interested."

She thought about it greater, putting a hoof to her chin as she thought about this new information, and how she could exploit it.

"I'm going to be honest with you Soul Glow, you were a weak and worthless creature, always had been. Before I found you, you were decaying in the mud with all the other ponies, completely unaware of the tyrant above you."

"'Til ah met ya." He pointed out.

To Soul Glow, he was nothing until he met Nightmare Moon. What she had told him was that she saved him, and made him the fighter of evil and deliver of justice that he was today.

"Yes." She brushed off, nodding her head. "And while your mind is now more than correct, your body has stayed much the same."

In fact, his health had only gotten worse.

Living in that small and dirty house at least gave him a stable screen against the elements of nature, and his parents did know a thing or two about medicine. However, this fact was entirely forgotten by him. He knew no other state than the one he was living in.

His hunger pains had most likely gotten worse as a result of his time with her.

At least with his forgotten family, he had one reliable meal a day, with a few small morsels every now and again.

Now with Nightmare Moon, almost all the food he was able to forage would immediately be claimed by her, leaving Soul Glow with very little, if any at that.

However, he didn't even have the contemplation of complain in his mind. In his mind, all he was doing was giving food to a much higher power.

He thought of it as an honor that his offerings were deemed as good enough.

"I can bestow upon you real dark magic." She told him, catching his attention even further. "I was hesitant about giving you some earlier, but after today, I can believe that you would _put it to good use_…"

If it involved himself cutting off both of his hooves, leaping into a volcano, or standing in the middle of a heavy rain storm with metal rods glued to him, he would do it. His only requirement would be that it should please Nightmare Moon, that was all he wanted, for her to be happy and empowered.

Soul Glow made no further questions or statements, and with that, Nightmare Moon went to work.

While she had the power of transferring her magic into another pony for quite awhile now, she had never done so. She thought it was a foolish action to do. Afterall, why weaken yourself and give power to a potential enemy?

However this was a different situation.

Before this new news, she saw Soul Glow in much the same light as she did when she met him. Sure, he was now completely and utterly wrapped around her finger, but his mindset was still in much the same light. He might talk a big game, but she was unsure if such a simple and gentle soul could turn into a weapon of destruction. But after today, she thought that there might still be some hope of Soul Glow becoming a proper villain.

With a little fine tuning, perhaps that unhinged anger may prove to be a force to be reckoned with.

And without ever exercising her own strength, she could simply watch as her opposers fell before Soul Glow.

It was all so beautiful, and simple at the same time.

With this in mind, she reached towards the cave floor.

Having just come from the moon mere days ago, and Soul Glow growing up with nothing, there was very little that they had between them. From scavenging the forest floor and the occasional theft, Soul Glow was able to scrounge up a few items. One of these items would prove to be useful as of now.

It was an empty bottle, nothing special about it, perhaps used as a water bottle for a school foal.

Holding up to one of the many stalactites that decorated the dingy and damp cave, the water dripped into the bottle.

After a minute or two, the bottle was full of musty and dirty water.

Filled with dirt, grime, and whatever else the walls of a cave could contain, she held out the bottle to Soul Glow, smiling to herself.

Soul Glow stuck his tongue out upon seeing the bottle.

He could swear he saw a worm or something similar swimming around.

However, her smile didn't falter. On the contrary, it actually grew, her white fangs now visible.

"True." She agreed with him. "Right now it is nothing more than stagnant water, perhaps something you might find on the backside of a pony festing in some sort of swamp."

Her horn began to glow with a black aura, the magic sparkling just as her mane did.

"But looks can always be deceiving!" She exclaimed, as she quickly tapped the bottle with her horn.

Her magic funneled from her horn, spinning around as it drained into the bottle, the color changing as if somepony had put in black food coloring.

The contents seemed to almost spark, like the darkest lightning peppered the bottle, similar to a shaken snow globe. As the lightning strikes continued, the water began to burn, Soul Glow could feel the heat in the air against his face.

What it once was was being burnt away, replacing it with a mere shadow of its former self, an empty vessel, perfect for the placement of the magic of darkness.

What was once musty and stagnant water was now a shimmering dark.

It was dark like midnight, and sparkled like an open sky, and more importantly, infused with her dark magic, her evil and anger.

Truthfully, it reminded Soul Glow of Nightmare Moon.

Her smile now disappearing, Nightmare Moon now bore a much more serious face, herself giving the potion to Soul Glow.

"I want you to take this, keep close to this bottle as if it's your life, for it will be what saves it."

He took it, noting that it was now icy cold, unlike the heat he had previously felt.

Even through the glass of the bottle, he could feel the magic inside, a sort of rushing current against his hoof. It honestly hurt a little.

"Huh?" He questioned her, himself rather overwhelmed by all that had taken place.

He knew Nightmare Moon had knowledge in great and powerful magic, she had told him, but he had never witnessed her cast a spell. To see it face to face was something extraordinary.

"I want you to return to Ponyville." She ordered him. "The attack was only yesterday, so the aftermath should still be fresh in their minds. Cause more havoc, more destruction, attract the attention of these six puny ponies."

Soul Glow growled upon hearing of them again.

The attack was also fresh in his mind, he remembered it well.

All he tried to do was to destroy the means in which the ponies were enslaved. Houses, schools, stores, they were all built under the tyrannical rule of Celestia. Only by knocking them down could her influence slowly be erased. That was all he was trying to do, to help those ponies.

Then those six arrived, six servants of Celestia who only wished to cause harm and destruction, to ensure that the chains were still tight on all ponies.

"When they meet you, I want you to drink from this bottle, absorb its powers, feel its dark energy pulsating in your bones." Nightmare Moon instructed him. "Drink the entire vile, and I can promise you that victory over those six will come quickly. With the help of my dark magic, you may even give that tyrant _Celestia_ herself a tough time."

Nightmare Moon spat at the ground as she mentioned her name, cursing Celestia under her breath.

Just thinking about the pony made her close to vomiting.

However, Soul Glow didn't notice her discomfort as he bounced around the cave, filled with new energy and a new objective.

Completing this mission would surely please her greatly.

"Thank ya, Nightmare Moon!" He cried out to her. "Ah promise ya, ah won't let ya down!"

And with that, potion kept on his being, he ran out of the cave, as happy as he could be.

Nightmare Moon did not stop him, he had his mission, and that was enough.

No further information was required, he would either complete it or he wouldn't. She need not to keep him here.

Besides, just the sight of him sickened her greatly.

Her forced smile slowly dripped into a frown, as she said

"For your sake, I hope you do not."

She sighed to herself.

"Run, my little pony, run." Nightmare Moon whispered to herself, allowing her true colors to emerge. "For no matter where you turn, you will always find others who wish to do you harm, who are apathetic on your well being, whether that be here or there."

She slowly moved towards the mouth of the cave, watching as Soul Glow gleefully disappeared into the trees, en route to Ponyville.

She lightly closed her eyes, a cool breeze blowing across her face, herself letting out a slight gust of air through her nostrils.

It was a rare moment of peace, as she now knew exactly what to do, her planning at come to an end.

She would pursue Celestia's destruction soon, with or without Soul Glow. If he managed to defeat those six ponies, all the better. If not, then she shall simply finish the job. If Soul Glow were to never return to her side, then her life would go on as normal, without another thought towards him, it was as simple as that.

"For this is the last chance I shall give you, you worthless creature." She told herself, her face growing more twisted, her voice more tense. "If you fail this assignment, I shall have no pity on what would happen next."

* * *

This was now the third time he had entered Ponyville, but this time was different.

Rather than himself scuttling in, neither sneaking nor making a large entrance, he strode into town, taking large and confident strides, his hooves purposely clanking against the ground as to cause attention.

He wanted to be known, he wanted those six to once again amass to him.

He was ready for them, more ready than ever before, and it was all thanks to Nightmare Moon's special gift to him.

As he entered the town, he noticed the impact that his previous actions had on the populace.

A few ponies were working on each house.

While the fires had been long since put out, the damage was still visible.

Charred wood and burnt paint were the decorations on many of the buildings.

One building even had a caved in roof, the fires proving too much for the structure to take.

Nearby was a wagon pulled by a group of Earth Ponies, most likely using their haul of wood to rebuild what Soul Glow destroyed.

He even saw the six ponies that attacked him, working with their fellow citizens to speed up their recovery.

The attack might have been a shock to all of Ponyville, but they seemed to be recovering smoothly.

This caused Soul Glow's anger to spike quite a bit.

It was supposed to be an attack of unparalleled proportions, one that would stick with the minds of all Ponyvillians for years, if not decades to come. Soul Glow imagined that grandponies would be tell the young for generations to come of the savior who left his mark on Ponyville through fire.

But now they were covering up his work.

He marched closer to the work site, still going largely unnoticed.

Afterall, it wasn't like he was some rampaging monster, but just an average pony.

But that didn't matter, most of these ponies probably viewed him a monster anyway, some creature who emerged from the forest only to destroy and then retreat from sight.

But Soul Glow didn't see it that way. He saw himself as somepony of great power and respect, being hoof chosen by Nightmare Moon herself. Ponies should bow, or at least give a respectful nod to him, upon his arrival. But their backs were turned to him, completely ignoring him.

He growled, stomping a hoof to the ground, as he sounded off

"Ello dar!"

His cry ran through, alerting everypony.

Seeing him back, most of the ponies dropped their tools, falling off their ladders, and abandoning their equipment as they ran away, screaming and fearing for what would come.

All did but six ponies.

"Soul Glow!" Twilight cried out, pointing a hoof at him in anger. "This is where it all ends! We will not allow you to harm the ponies of Equestria any longer! Surrender now or face the consequences!"

He scoffed at this.

He was tired of hearing it. He had heard her repeat this same line of unconditional surrender when they first met, and again just yesterday.

And she still droned on and on about how they were the heroes of Equestria, that they were the ones who would bring him to justice. Soul Glow knew that they had it backwards, that they were the monsters that he would bring to justice.

"Ya always want da same thangs done da same ol' way." He jabs at them, rolling his eyes at her words.

"Don't you remember how badly we defeated you before?!" Rainbow Dash mocked him.

Sure, he did in fact remember just how badly and quickly he was beaten, it was pathetic really. But now, he walked around like a tiger in the presence of mice, absolutely no threats came to him now.

Now with this potion in his hand, he had nothing to fear from these six, or from anypony.

"Dat was den, 'n dis is now." He retorts to them.

"And what gives you such confidence now?" Rarity asked him, shooting him daggers. "Perhaps that fiend has spun you another lie?"

Soul Glow wasn't sure just what she meant by that. He wasn't one to understand what most ponies said, let alone an idiom.

He shook off what she said.

"Ah have dis." He declared confidently, showing his potion of evil just as a child would with a new toy.

All ponies looked at each other in confusion, not understanding how just one little drink could solve all of his problems. All ponies but Twilight, that is.

Rather than puzzlement, her eyes widened as she recognized the brew, the scent of evil magic.

Having been taught in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, she had also been given rigorous lessons on dark magic and even how to counter some forms of it should she ever encounter it.

All it took was one glance, and the purple unicorn knew just what it was.

She trembled slightly, as she could feel the evil glowing from it.

"Is that...Nightmare Moon's magical essence?!" She stuttered, trying to hide her fear.

Soul Glow shrugged at her choice of words, her grammar being much too complex to understand.

"Ah doan know whah dat means, buh after ah drank dis, you's gonna pay fer all yer crimes."

These words shook Twilight almost as much as the potion did.

If he would've made such a claim yesterday, Twilight would be able to stand strong with her friends, knowing full well that they would be the victors. However, now that Soul Glow was in possession of such great and evil energy, she couldn't be so confident.

It was as if your worst enemy just had been given the power to destroy the world, or at least Ponyville.

The only way that she could hope to have everypony come out of this unscathed would be to appeal to his better nature, even if it was a warped one.

"Soul Glow, what you're tampering with is dark magic, evil magic." Twilight warned him, her voice in a hushed whisper. "Such power can only be wielded by an alicorn! Not an average unicorn!"

This was taken as a jab to the uneducated pony, rather than a point of fact.

"Ah'm not da average unicorn." Soul Glow corrected her. "Ah beh chosen bah Nightmare Moon harself."

"You're being lied to, Soul Glow!" She desperately shouted at him. "Nightmare Moon is a villain, corrupt to the core! She serves only herself!"

"Ah serve har!" He cried out, acting as if that trumped her. "She's gonna make dis land a betta one!"

"Fighting now will achieve nothing!" She told him. "But if you drink that now, then there's no turning back!"

These words stirred confusion within the colt.

He thought of her as somepony of true bloodlust and evil intent, never turning down a challenge, accepting it with a smug grin and an evil stare, not to cower and deny.

For her to refuse his call for conflict was a surprise to be sure, and not a welcome one.

He thought for a second that she might not be as evil and bloodthirsty as he thought she was.

But it was only for a second.

Then he remembered.

It had only been a few days since he had exposed himself to these ponies, and they had already beaten him, chased him multiple times, insulted him, and wished for him to be locked in a cage, all for following the path of justice.

Meanwhile, Nightmare Moon's honeyed words had only gave him resolve in his love for her.

These ponies before him had been nothing but horrible to him.

She must be tricking him, lying to him to lower his guard, then she'll strike without mercy.

At this thought, he narrowed his eyes at this, the bottle raised at mouth level.

"Yer right…" He muttered to them. "Dar is no turnin' back."

He growled at them as he murmured

"Ya no good liar."

Without a second thought he brought the bottle to his mouth.

It burnt his nostrils, his eyes watering at the intensive scent, himself almost having to close them fully to avoid the horrible stinging sensation

However, this was a gift from Nightmare Moon. It could only bring harmony and strength, never negative.

He continued, meeting his mouth with the mixture.

As the concoction slipped down his throat, it burned like acid, and stunk of sulfur.

His throat felt as if it was on fire, almost as if he had consumed boiling water.

He felt his throat grow heavy, the taste of bile in his mouth as his body attempted to reject it.

He felt like throwing up, his stomach rumbled and groaned.

A great strike of pain fell upon his body, as if somepony had punched him the stomach full force.

The pain grew to such an extent that he dropped the bottle, it shattered to the ground.

The pain only grew and spread to all areas of his body, his veins burning as if lava flowed through them, meanwhile his physical form was changing.

His scrawny and bony body began to fill, muscle and magical power replaced his tender flesh.

As flashes of black and purple swirled around him, almost seeming to feed his growing form.

They flowed through and into him, almost like tentacles of darkness puncturing his skin, and digging into his body. His mass only seemed to grow, his body bulking up to such a degree that even a professional body builder would blush and cower.

Dark magic filled him, it gave him strength and power.

His eyes, a normal gray, had now turned into a fiery red, blazing with passion and anger.

His entire body was now completely overtaken, affecting every aspect of his being. His brain, his heart, everything was dripping and clogged with the decadent evil, straight from the very foulness of Nightmare Moon herself.

He was now a completely different pony, the magic that surged through him was nothing like he had ever felt before. He had just been given power from an alicorn, one that had long since been corrupted by dark magic.

He may even prove to be a challenge to Celestia at this moment.

Through his normal eyes, he saw ponies of evil and corruption. Scary and evil ponies who had to be removed from society, their evil locked up forever.

But through these evil eyes, he saw the frightened faces of six ponies, which only made him chuckle.

To Soul Glow, he thought that these six ponies had terrorized the weak and innocent of Equestria for their own sick amusement, this being the first time somepony had ever stood up against them.

He smiled at their expressions, his usually yellowed and unkempt teeth now of a pure white, razor sharp and ready for battle, just as he was.

Despite this great gain in power and size, he felt as though he was weightless. If he were to jump now, he felt as though he could touch the sky.

"Not like hurtin' some innocent lil' pony now is it?!" He questioned them, feeling invincible.

In Soul Glow's mind, this was the first time anypony had stood up to these six, that they had descended a reign of darkness and evil upon this land where nopony was safe, not even the youngest of foals.

His self righteous sense of justice only grew as he thought about those oppressed ponies who in reality didn't exist.

"Oh, when ah'm done with ya, you's all gonna 'ave nightmares fer months!" He joyfully cried out, swaying his body this way and that, full of energy and anticipation.

In response to his jab, Rainbow Dash smashed her hooves to the ground, angered.

"Don't you threaten us just because you've gotten some creepy aura!"

She lowered herself to the ground, her wings began to flap heavy.

It was her anger at being threatened, her anger at his evil intentions and who he served that fueled her wings.

She would simply repeat what she did last time.

A simple throttle into his stomach would finish the job, just like before.

"I'll end this right now!" She declared boldy, her legs ready to spring into action.

"Rainbow, no!" Twilight cried out, herself being the only pony fully understanding his new powers.

Her warnings fell on deaf ears, as the pegasus kicked off the ground, flying at incredible speeds unmatched by most.

She flew through the air, her face gritted with determination, her hooves outstretched, more than eager to deliver another blow to his chest.

It was a rainbow blur for most ponies, but it was as if time was slowed for Soul Glow.

He saw the pegasus fly at him, but instead of it being at a bullet's speed, it was a snail's crawl.

With reflexes only possible due to his new alicorn strength, he simply stepped a little to the right, Rainbow Dash flying right past him.

She continued to fly through the air, unable to halt, flying hard into the dirt ground, kicking up dust as she landed.

The pegasus moaned as she pulled her face from the ground, it covered in dirt and a few bruises, herself coughing up a mouthful of grass.

He growled at her, upset by this attempt to harm him.

These ponies wanted nothing more than to hurt him! Just as they did with all of Equestria!

He lowered his head, his horn pointed at her as it began to bubble with dark magic.

"You's gonna pay now." He muttered through his smile, his eyes flashing with a blood red malice.

In an instant, his horn had produced a large ball of lethal magic, itself a purple flash of colors.

He took a deep breath, his horn bursting out what it had created, a thunderous sound, similar to a cannon, rang loudly through the air.

In quick action, Twilight fired a burst of her own magic at Soul Glow, striking him in the face.

This sudden attack caused his head to violently jerk to the side, his horn following.

The magic he conjured followed suit, as it smashed into the ground, leaving a smoldering crater next to Rainbow Dash.

With this opportunity, the pegasus quickly took off, flying back to the protective sides of her friends.

"Thanks, Twilight." She muttered, letting out a few chuckles of relief, sweat mixed with dirt on her face. "I came close to biting it back there."

Twilight did not laugh, but rather stare on at Soul Glow, who was at the moment bearing an arrogant smile at them, his powers displayed.

Even he was a bit amazed at what he was able to do.

He remembered the first time Rainbow Dash had slammed into him, he could barely even see her coming. But now, it was effortless to dodge her. She was now at a snail's pace to his lighting speed.

Twilight saw now just what he was capable of.

"We have to lure him away from Ponyville." She concluded to her friends. "What might happen could cause great devastation to the surrounding area."

Sure, the ponies had largely fled into their homes or perhaps even out of town in general. But leaving behind craters of destruction and burning buildings still didn't sit right with her.

"Perhaps The Everfree Forest?" Rarity suggested. "Afterall, nopony really lives there."

This suggestion caused an uproar from the yellow pegasus.

"But creatures live there!" Fluttershy uncharacteristically shouted at her. "And I won't allow their home to be destroyed in some battle!"

The yellow pony was one who loved animals, holding them as equal to that of herself. In her mind, fighting in The Everfree Forest was no different than in Ponyville.

"Alright…" Twilight muttered, herself understanding the demands of her companion. "Someplace else perhaps?"

"What 'bout the grassy fields?" Applejack suggested. "There are no ponies _and_ no critters there."

It was a vast area, stretching as far as the eye could see, containing only rolling hills and green grass. It was rather close to Ponyville, only a hop, skip, and a jump following the main road out of town. If they could lead Soul Glow there, they could create craters as wide as Everfree.

"I guess that could work." Fluttershy weakly agreed, still unsure about such a place. "But can you all promise not to hurt the place too much? I'm sure some creatures enjoy going there."

"Creatures can't enjoy it if there's night time forever!" Rainbow Dash reminded her.

Fluttershy's eyes lowered towards the ground at this, herself letting out a heavy sigh at this.

Even the ecologically responsible Fluttershy knew this all too well.

The worst thing for the animals that she so loved would be eternal night.

Without the light of day, the animals would grow cold, the plants would die, and that would only lead to something that Fluttershy couldn't even attempt to imagine.

Seeing as she now had her yellow friend's cooperation, Twilight nodded at her fellow ponies, who returned the nod.

Understanding her silent order, the six ponies then began to run as a group, towards the town's limits.

"You's not gonna run 'way from muh!" Soul Glow cried out to them.

However, his voice only dissipated as the six continued to trot away, and along the road.

Twilight knew that it was them six that Soul Glow wanted. He would leave Ponyville alone as long as they did the same.

They continued to trot down the road, having no real idea just how far away they were from Soul Glow.

They didn't look back, just kept running, hoping to lead him away from any pony else.

Then, they could fight him without any worries of collateral damage.

"How much longer do we need to run, darlings?!" Rarity cried out to them, panting from exhaustion. "I didn't put on my running shoes, and this dirt road is a pain on my hooves!"

Twilight looked on ahead, seeing that the forest around the road was beginning to thin, and the grassy plains grew visible from a distance.

She turned to her unicorn friend as they continued to sprint.

"Only a little bit longer!" She answered, turning her head back to the road. "I think we're almost-"

She stopped herself as she saw what lay ahead of them, causing all six of them to come to a grinding halt.

Soul Glow stood ahead of them, confidently smiling.

"Only now dat it's too late, dah ya understand whah it means tah face mah!" Soul Glow exclaimed, still high off of his great powers as he laughed just like a villain. "Ah tried tah warn you's, buh you's was too evil tah see, 'n now you's gonna get it."

"Ooooh, I really can't stand him!" Rarity harshly whispered, rarely giving in to her temper. "Just the way he talks and what he says is absolutely atrocious!"

"His way of speakin' is fine." Applejack told her, her own broken accent audible. "It's jest his attitude that don't sit well with me."

While those two were bickering, Twilight herself was focused squarely on the threat in front of her.

In only a matter of seconds, Soul Glow was able to completely outrun them, perhaps even having the magic prowess to simply teleport in front of them.

Sure, they may have gotten a few dozen or so feet from the entrance of the town.

But would that be enough distance to minimize damage?

Whatever the case, it was clear now that running away wouldn't do, likewise reasoning with him wouldn't work either. He was far too gone, consumed by the power that was flowing through his veins.

The six had no choice, they had to fight him now. There was no other option.

"He was obviously given incredibly powerful magic from Nightmare Moon…" She told herself out loud. "But his body can't regulate it. He'll keep using more of his power without it being replenished. It's a limited amount."

"What are you getting at, Twi?" Rainbow asked her.

"Overtime, his body will eventually burn through the magic. It happens naturally, but every time he uses a spell, it only serves to drain it even more, same result if one were to strike a blow on him." She explained.

"Huh?!" Pinkie Pie sounded off, not understanding.

Upon gazing at her other friends, she saw that they more or less had a grasp on her concept similar to the pink pony.

"Unicorn magic is complex." She explained to them. "Whenever a unicorn gets hurt, magic is biologically redirected to aid in the wound's healing. Every time we harm him, his powers will decrease."

"Ha!" Rainbow Dash cried out in joy, smashing her hooves together. "So every time we hurt him, it'll only help us?! Sounds good to me!"

Twilight nodded at her with a serious expression.

"His current state is now totally dependent on this dark magic." She told them. "Once the magic is gone, he will no longer be able to support himself. He'll burn out, collapse from exhaustion, then we use The Elements of Harmony."

The six ponies had collected them from The Castle Of The Two Sisters after Soul Glow and Nightmare Moon had fled.

They've never used them before, but they seemed to at least respond to their presence, and that was good enough for them.

"And just what happens when he's hit with the elements?" Rarity asked her, her eyes wide in worry.

And she was right to do so.

They haven't been used in hundreds of years, their effects were quite unpredictable.

For Nightmare Moon, the blast was so powerful that she was sent to the moon. For some villain like Discord, it turned him to stone, himself now being used as a mere statue to warn anypony of what an evil life will eventually lead to.

Those were cases of true villains, far different than the average trouble making pony, Discord was something that still can't entirely be explained. To use such magic on the average pony, who really knows what could happen?

Twilight furrowed her brow at these thoughts.

"I'm not sure." She admitted. "It banished Nightmare Moon to the moon for a thousand years."

"I'm not sure he deserves that…" Fluttershy muttered quietly to her friends.

Even if the yellow pony was both afraid and enraged by his presence, her kindness was still legendary. She wasn't sure what should be done with him, but being thrown into a lonely prison in space for a thousand years didn't sit too well with her.

"Don't ignore muh!" His horrible voice shattered through her thoughts.

All ponies turned to him, as they witnessed a dark beam of evil magic zoom towards them, having been created by Soul Glow.

In instinct, Twilight jumped in front of her friends, covering all of them in a magical ward spell, a shield to his assault.

The spell clashed against her shield, a great boom echoing through the area.

She found this magic must more difficult to repel than his last burst stream of destruction.

Her hooves dug into the ground as her defensive spell began to crack, and bend upon Soul Glow's spell.

Twilight gritted her teeth as she tried her hardest, summoning all of her magical strength in an attempt to contain his magic.

However, her spell only seemed to bend and break more, so many cracks that it almost seemed like a spider web had taken shape upon her shield.

She gulped in fearful realization, herself seeing her shield rip up and shatter.

She closed her eyes in pain, as the blinding light from his spell broke through her's.

Suddenly, she felt herself being jerked away, the spell flying past her as it harmlessly smashed into the ground, another impact crater formed.

Opening her eyes once again, she saw that she was very well still alive.

Laying on the ground, she saw her rainbow friend standing above her, herself having just shoved Twilight out of harm's way.

"Rainbow Dash!" She cried out in thanks, hugging her friend tightly. "Thank you!"

The pegasus let out a laugh, as she smuggly declared

"It was nothing! Now we're even!"

"Stop yer talk!" He cried out to them, finding their shared happiness disgusting. "Ah'm gonna shut yer mouths fer good!"

The fury and rage caused by the dark magic had taken over. Every vein in his body was now merely a means of transport for the darkness. In this current form, he was no longer Soul Glow, and far from when he was a foal. He was consumed by darkness, only to be spat out as something twisted and ugly.

He wished to do these ponies harm, because he believed that is what they wished upon him and his only friend, Nightmare Moon.

His teeth clenched together painfully as he thought about this, his face tightening into another scowl, brows twisted into rage.

He summoned another burst stream of destruction.

It glowed yellow, as electric currents ran through the orb, all the power being focused on the tip of his horn.

It bellowed out, quickly growing in mass like a bubble.

His focus was Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's personal student, and as Soul Glow saw her, the right hoof of Celestia's tyrannical rule.

If anypony were to be dispatched during this fight, it should be her.

He gritted his teeth, and fueled by rage towards her, he let out a grunt, swinging his head as he threw the magical energy right at her.

It tore through the grass, leaving a black burn mark as it shot through the air and straight towards Twilight.

Unable to counter such a blast, the unicorn had no other choice but to dodge.

She jumped, as the evil energy smashed the ground beneath her.

Hot dirt and pebbles flew into the air, the small bombardments glancing against her skin.

She landed on the ground, a few minor cuts and bruises on her from the blast.

She was largely alright, but still shaken from what could've happened.

"You's a tough one!" Soul Glow commented to her, a grim smile on his face.

Twilight growled at his arrogance.

Sure, yesterday he was just an ordinary pony, perhaps even weaker than most. He talked the big game, but when the time came, they were easily able to defeat him, and he ran away with his tail between his legs.

But now, he was a proper villain through and through.

He had been given dark magic which made his power completely eclipse her own. He was a maniac, one who served a patron of darkness, and he enjoyed every second of it.

In her eyes, he was now no different than the legendary villains such as Discord or Tirek.

And just like those legendary villains, he must be stopped.

Her horn glowed with light, as a large ball of purple magic formed, growing ever bigger and ever more powerful.

She funneled in all of her love for her friends, her duty to protect the citizens of Equestria, her loyalty for Celestia, and her hatred for Soul Glow all in one spell.

She would finish this right here and now, before he could harm her friends.

She craned her neck painfully as she swung her spell at him.

Due to its sheer power and size, it was slow, slow enough for anypony to dodge it if they wanted to.

However, Soul Glow didn't back down.

Instead, he leaned his head forward, summoning a ward spell of his own.

Unlike Twilight's largely transparent shield, this one was a horrible wall of gray darkness, fizzing with lightning and a blood red aura of destruction.

It smashed against his shield, a thunderous crack of lightning exploding in the air.

The force of such a blast shook the nearby trees, leaves and branches flying wildly in the air, as the entire field was enveloped in a cloud of smoke and dust.

Twilight covered her eyes with a hoof, the violent dust and dirt in the air being too much for them to take.

She thought for sure that such an attack would be more than enough for him to handle.

While she wished for nothing more than for him to be put on trial for his crimes and held behind bars for the rest of his life, she also couldn't help but wish a great deal of pain for him, that her attack shall leave him harmed.

As the dust slowly settled, she removed her hoof, squinting through the dissipating cloud, hoping to see him defeated and on the ground.

However, Soul Glow still stood there, with that same confident smirk on his face, perhaps it was even a little wider.

"He deflected it!" Twilight growled under her breath as she panted from exhaustion.

That was her most powerful spell, one which she had pulled from her mightiest of strength to summon.

If that didn't do him in, she didn't know what would.

She could only let out an occasional quiver, herself completely overwhelmed by the evil presence before her. It was like an insect fighting a dinosaur. Even if that dinosaur was losing its strength over time, he was still a dinosaur right now.

He smiled in glee as he saw despair on her face.

"Neat, huh?!" He cried out to her in arrogance. "Can ya dah da same?!"

His horn began to glow as well, forming his own barrage of magic energy.

It was much smaller, more refined, not as untamed as his previous blast.

Almost as soon as it was created, it shot out like a bullet, at speeds with which even Rainbow Dash would have great trouble keeping up with.

Unable to even blink, the hostile spell smashed against Twilight's chest, causing her to gasp in pain.

She staggered back, the force of the blow causing her hooves to scrap against the ground.

Looking down, she saw that she now had a major bruise on her chest, it already a dark purple, and throbbed horribly.

She felt a few tears well up in her eyes, a new drop for each pounding throb of her wound.

It wasn't anything serious, it's small size prevented it from having a battle ending effect.

However, it still had its impact.

She was sure that perhaps a rib or two were injured, and that bruise would take time to heal.

Soul Glow laughed at this, enjoying every second of it.

"Dat's fer all da ponies you's hurt over da years!" He declared, still laughing. "'N when ah'm done with ya, you's gonna know whah pain is!"

"You better watch yourself, No Glow!" Rainbow Dash defended her friend, moving in front of her.

"Yer cruisin' for a brusin'!" Applejack warned him, pointing a hoof at him as she also joined in.

While the other three ponies were tending to Twilight's wounds, Rainbow Dash and Applejack stood ahead, glaring at him.

The two were more than ready, more than eager to deliver punishment onto him.

However, Soul Glow didn't falter, but instead smiled at them, his smirk not even wavering in the slightest.

He would fight these six until the very end.

If he were to lose this battle, he would see himself as a martyr for her cause, her cause to bring justice and peace across the lands of Equestria.

But if he won, then Nightmare Moon would be pleased with him, and that made his world go around.

He had nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

* * *

**Author's Note: Big thanks to Spirt of Fantasy and MissEljebel for proof reading and critiquing this chapter. Couldn't of done it without them!**


	5. The End of The Beginning

**Author's Note: Well, here it is, the next chapter, a day later just as promised! I hope all you readers enjoy this one, it's a good one!**

**And as always, big thanks to Spirit of Fantasy and MissEljebel for reading over my story, making it the work of art that it is today!**

* * *

Soul Glow continued to smile, his two enemies responding with grimacing scowls.

He was personally glad that they were so eager to face him.

He did, afterall, want to just see what he was really capable of with his new powers. And besides, them wanting to fight was much easier than himself having to chase them down.

Soul Glow stood there smuggly, his mouth twisted into a thin smile as his eyes burned with pompous destruction.

His thin smile exploded into a massive smile as a sudden beam of light violently glowed from his horn.

He sent it flying at the two, leaving them with no other option than to dodge it, them lunging out of the way as it slammed into the ground, erupting into a massive explosion.

"No matta how much trash dar bah, is still trash!" He cried out, referring to the two ponies.

In response, Rainbow Dash charged him, confident that her strength and speed would be enough to overwhelm him.

Afterall, she was known for her quickness. If you asked her, she would declare herself the fastest in Equestria, and definitely faster than Soul Glow.

She threw a hind leg out to him, himself dodging with ease.

She followed with another, it having the same result.

Every punch and kick she tried to throw seemed to be easily evaded by Soul Glow, himself bending and jumping this way and that, at a seemingly unnatural rate.

He was quick, much quicker than anypony she had met before.

It pained her to admit, but he was even faster than her!

She felt anger rise inside of her, as she readied another hoof, tensing it as she shot it forward at him.

As her hoof came within a hair's distance from Soul Glow, he simply disappeared, leaving her vision quicker than the blink of an eye.

She looked around, confused by his sudden disappearance.

"Behind ya!" She heard in an annoying accent.

She didn't even have time to respond as Soul Glow bucked her in the back, sending her flying forward as she yelped in pain.

Soul Glow's horn glowed with another lethal spell, pointing it at Rainbow Dash as she laid on the ground.

"Watch out, Dash!" The two heard.

Soul Glow twisted around at the sound, seeing Applejack, bearing a gritted face of determination, holding a massive stone in one hoof.

With a grunt, she hurled the boulder, about the size of a backpack.

It flew at him like a catapult, whistling through the air.

He shot the blast of dark magic at the boulder, the large object exploding into many pieces.

The blast waves rippled through the air, causing Soul Glow to stagger back, himself losing his footing on the ground.

Through his own explosion, Soul Glow was lifted helplessly in the air, dirt and dust flying everywhere.

Rainbow Dash quickly flew off into the air, using this as a chance to strike.

Sure, Soul Glow may have gained a great deal of magic, but his variety on spells had stayed more or less the same. He did not know how to levitate himself, let alone how to fly in the air.

She let out a volley of punches and blows, treating Soul Glow as a punching bag, her advanced speed only aiding in delivering punch after punch onto him.

He was helpless as he fell towards the ground, the pegasus following as she continued to beat him.

He landed with a heavy thud on his stomach, letting out a moan.

However, through his sheer hatred for the two, he quickly stood up, seeming to brush off what had just been delivered.

Rainbow Dash flew back towards the ground, quickly delivering another blow to Soul Glow.

She landed on the ground and turned her back to him, kicking at the ground with her hind legs, sending a thick layer of dust into his face.

He cried out as his vision was momentarily blinded.

Using this to her advantage, Applejack lunged at him, delivering a powerful strike to his stomach.

Sure, Applejack wasn't as quick as her rainbow maned friend, but her years of farming had surely made them much more stronger.

He staggered back, surprised by such force, as he gripped his pained chest.

Even under this pain, his face was still burning with anger, his eyes bearing the same dark malice as before.

The potion may have given Soul Glow incredible powers, his magic stronger, his endurance and strength much more of a challenge. However, it was also powered by evil, and just as any evil enhancement would do, a side effect would always follow, a poison to the potion.

The muscles of his body and magic may be more impressive, but he still contained the same level of fragility as before.

Sure, he had the energy and magic to perform these complex spells and masterful feats of strength, but his muscles and petite frame surely couldn't follow suite.

Every blow he gave out or recieved was met with staggering pain, his muscles and horn being pushed well past their breaking point.

It was as if giving a newborn foal all the vigor in the world, and then having it lift a great tower of cinder blocks. Even if the frame or muscles of the foal weren't up to the challenge, it had too much energy to stop, and thus the body would suffer as a result.

His powers may have grown, but his ability to recover remained the same.

Each blow he took hurt just as much as they would've otherwise, only making him more aggressive, only growing his anger and hatred for those six.

It was their fault that he was in so much pain, that he was currently in a fight.

He wished for nothing more than for all of Equestria to be happy and liberated. But that couldn't happen as long as Celestia and these six ponies remained free.

The pain he received from these ponies only furthered his belief.

His body might be beyond sore, but the energy still flowed through him, this being the only thing keeping him on his hooves.

It may not have been a long fight, but it was a draining one on both him and them.

He had taken a beating, which only seemed to grow more painful as time wore off, the numbing effects of his magic fading.

Sweaty, bruised, exhausted and nearly defeated, he was near his limit, but that was fine.

So were they.

He smiled as a result, Nightmare Moon would be so proud!

His smile grew only wider, ear to ear as she saw the horrified expressions on their faces.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that he had more or less cornered them, but it didn't matter.

Their faces were twisted in fear, eyes wide and quivering, a few of them almost seeming to shed a few tears.

At this very moment, they were showing more shock, more terror than they ever had when facing him.

Perhaps they finally came to the realization of just what they were up against.

Even the self declared tough pony, Applejack, was currently shaking, her lip quivering as her knees followed.

They were scared of him.

As their fear only became more apparent, his smile only grew as a result.

It wouldn't be long now, soon he shall defeat these six once and for all.

Nightmare Moon's wish would be met, she would be happy, and that would only make him even more happy.

Everything and everypony would be happy after today, except the villains of course.

But his smile faded as he saw that they weren't staring at him, but rather, at something behind him.

Brows furrowed, he turned around only to see the menacing blackness that was his master, a dark aura of evil clinging to her like a bad odor.

She had been watching the fight!

"Nightmare Moon?!" Soul Glow cried out in shock. "Whah...whah are ya doin' har?"

She didn't say anything at first.

Instead she took a heavy glance at Soul Glow, and then at the six ponies, ending it off with a heavy frown.

"I'm here to check on your progress." She spoke to him, a slight annoyance in her tone. "Afterall, you have been gone for quite some time, so I only presumed your work was finished."

She let out a slight sigh as she said

"And to see these six ponies before me, all of them in one piece, I can say that you have failed miserably."

These words sunk a deep blow within the unicorn.

Shame was what hit him the hardest, and self disappointment. He thought of her as something much more than a pony, something closer to a living deity. He loved her, he praised her, kissed the ground that she walked on. He wanted nothing more than for her to be pleased in him, to see him as something of value, something to smile upon. But that was not the case.

But fear was another reason, fear of her reprisal. He had failed her, and idle words would be the last thing he would worry about.

"N-N-No!" He stuttered out, his past ego completely shattered by her few simple words. "Please, Nightmare Moon! Ah'll finish dem off right now!"

Before she could respond, he turned to the six ponies, eyes wide in fear as he cried out

"Ah-Ah-Ah'll end dis quickly!"

While he was more than willing to carry on the fight, there was another story beneath the surface.

The potion had nearly worn off, his powers and energy were starting to slip from him, Nightmare Moon could sense it.

She knew that he was close to the breaking point, but that didn't matter to her.

If Soul Glow were to fail this test, she would not shed one tear of mercy for him. In her mind, he himself is to blame.

She felt no sympathy, thinking of him as a lesser creature, one of insignificant power, one that would fall under the notice of most other ponies.

Soul Glow chose his fate, she didn't force him. Soul Glow gave her the mandate, the right to throw away his life whenever she felt like it. And now he was paying the price for his carelessness. He was now in a world where no one cared about him at all, he was all alone, surrounded by ponies who wished to do him harm, and were apathetic to his well being in every circumstance.

"Ah'll finish ya'll off right har!" He shouted at them, hair raised and teeth bared in brutality.

Twilight lowered herself to the ground, on her guard as she tensed her body up.

He was done playing around, and everypony knew it.

No longer could he savor this moment. He had to end it quickly, before both his magic and Nightmare Moon's patience faded

"Da end is near!" He snarled at the six ponies, Rainbow Dash and Applejack already taking a stance towards him, ready for another fight.

His horn twitched with uncontrollable magic, as his face twisted with both rage and an unsavory desire to hurt these two evil ponies, those that stood in the way of what Nightmare Moon wanted.

He growled, pushing his magic through his horn as a sizable ball of purple and dark lightning grew out, swelling up like an inflating ball.

"Git on outta har!" He cried out, sending the spell flying.

It ripped through the air, burning and smoldering as it was hurled towards the ponies.

Following the same pattern as before, the two ponies jumped out of the way harmlessly, the spell slamming against the ground with a loud boom, dust and grass flying in the air.

Just as he planned.

Even if he wasn't the smartest, the dark magic gave him tactics and knowledge.

The bruises he sustained from their last fight were still throbbing, his body still sore.

He knew that if he fought them both again, the same would happen.

But divided, he could pick them off individually.

He smiled at this, exclaiming

"Now, you's gonna get whah comin' tah ya!"

Rainbow Dash quickly took off into the air, not allowing him to cast another spell at her.

She knew that she had the advantage in the air, it was her natural habitat, just as the ground was for Earth Ponies.

She could stay in the air for hours, more than enough time for her to think of a strategy of sorts, a way of dealing with this villain quickly and cleanly.

She suddenly felt herself being violently janked downward, as if somepony had grabbed her by the hind leg.

She descended quickly back to the ground, herself slamming into the dirt, confused and dazed.

Looking behind her, she saw that her back hooves had been caught, caught in some sort of magical trap, a rope of some sort.

She followed the rope with her eyes, it connecting to Soul Glow's horn, himself smiling evilly at this.

She gulped, not fully realizing what she was in for.

With a twist of his neck, she was sent flying through the air, until she crashed onto the ground.

She lifted her head from the dirt, her head spinning as many scratches covered her face, dust covering her coat.

"Ya call mah No Glow?!" He cried out at her, laughing at her pain. "How 'bout ah call ya Rainbow Crash?!"

With another twist of his head, Rainbow Dash was sent flying through the air, slamming hard against a nearby tree.

As long as she was connected to this magical rope, Soul Glow could and would fling her around like a ragdoll, bashing her into submission.

Another twist of his head, and she crashed against a nearby rock, herself letting out a loud gasp as her stomach made contact first, knocking the wind out of her.

She dropped to the ground, herself rubbing her injured stomach as she struggled to find her breath, Soul Glow smiling all the while.

He still had the energy to finish the fight, to inflict a crippling blow on everypony.

But he did not, he wished to display a show for Nightmare Moon, a sick play of power, to impress his master and earn back her favor.

He then began to throw her this way and that, spinning her around the air as she turned green in the face, slapping and slamming her against the ground, the trees, and anything else that looked hard.

He was a mad pony, completely overwhelmed and consumed by this dark magic which gave him strength, gave him the desire to hurt other ponies, and the satisfaction when he did do it.

He was completely distracted by this, not paying attention to any other pony. He was wide open to an attack.

Using this to her advantage, Twilight Sparkle quickly summoned her own destruction spell, firing it off at him without hesitation.

Soul Glow didn't even notice it traveling through the air.

With his attention still focused on Rainbow Dash, he continued to flail her around.

His eyes were wide with madness, gleaming and burning a horrible red, a large and sick smile spread across his face, as he cried out

"Let dis bah a lesson fer all who go 'gaisnt Nightmare-"

The spell slammed against his body, himself gasping in pained surprise as he tumbled towards the ground.

His spell on the pegasus was broken, allowing her to scrabble from the ground and back to her friends.

It was the final blow, the crippling strike on the last refuge of his dark magic.

He could barely catch himself, his knees wobbling, having only the bare minimum strength to keep himself up.

The darkness that once surrounded him had now began to dissipate, himself losing body mass as well.

He seemed to shrink, almost wither into the malnourished and unintimidating state he was before.

He gasped, almost seeming to choke as the dark magic flowed out of him, replacing his pain numbing powers with a terrible soreness, himself now feeling the full extent of his injuries.

Every blow that was done onto him, ever punch done by Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the magic from Twilight, all pounded and ached something terrible.

His heart beat slowed and beat in heavy and slow tremors, his fiery red eyes dimming like the setting sun.

Every joint in his body ached with a rabid soreness.

He felt like he could just lie down and sleep forever.

Even if Soul Glow was confused by this loss of power, it didn't take a genius to tell what happened.

It had worn off, his dark magic was now gone.

He abruptly buckled down to the grassy floor, his remaining energy all but gone, his muscles sore and shredded beyond belief.

He was now in a worse state than his normal, starving and malnourished form was.

Nightmare Moon looked at him as he lay helpless on the ground, an apathetic expression her face, perhaps bearing a slight appearance of disdained disappointment.

"It appears as though it is time for myself to end this." She muttered out loud.

Upon these very words, Twilight instinctively jumped in front of her friends, as she glared at Nightmare Moon with the worst kind of stare, her horn already materializing hostile magic.

Her wild eyes burned with revenge, a passion to finish this conflict once and for all.

The very thought of Nightmare Moon being in danger awakened the last ounce of strength he had, his energy exploding out like a thermometer on the hottest of days.

In instinct, Soul Glow threw himself in front of Nightmare Moon, shielding her from any potential blast with his bare and battered body.

To Soul Glow, it was as if somepony was pointing a spear at the throat of morality and good nature, threatening to extinguish it forever more. He thought of her as such.

"Stop yer magic!" He demanded, arms spread wide to cover her as much as possible.

"Not a chance." Twilight strongly stated, her eyes never leaving Nightmare Moon.

She would not allow Nightmare Moon to hurt her friends.

To Twilight, Soul Glow was already beaten. He was no longer a threat.

Now it was Nightmare Moon.

"Don't worry, Soul Glow." Nightmare Moon smiled, amused by this situation. "She won't do anything to me, she's not like us."

"You're right, I'm not like you!" Twilight shouted at the both of them, her horn practically twitching with magic. "I'm not a monster!"

"Ah'm not a monster!" Soul Glow shouted back at her. "Ah want justice!"

To Soul Glow, he still saw Nightmare Moon as the victim in this whole situation. He saw her as one who was banished for little, and suffered greatly, and that retribution was the only answer.

"You'll surely get that after today!" Twilight retorted back.

Soul Glow still stood in front of her, his body as stretched as far as it could, a pony shield.

He would stand there until the end of time, taking whatever punishment anypony could muster, just as long as Nightmare Moon were to remain safe and unharmed. For her, he was willing to undergo the most horrible of pains.

"I believe I can agree with the unicorn's claim, Soul Glow." He heard from behind him.

Turning around, he saw Nightmare Moon, glaring at him, her full attention now on him rather than the six.

"Wha...whah da ya mean?!" He cried out in confusion, his body beginning to shake in fear.

Nightmare Moon's expression stance quickly turned into a deadpan frown, her eyes now fully concentrated on Soul Glow.

"You have failed me time and time again."

She gritted her teeth, her posture straight, as she glared down at Soul Glow, himself still frightened beyond belief.

She took a step towards him, Soul Glow backing up, sweat running down his face as it twitched with fear.

It was her eyes that scared him the most.

They were lifeless and yet full of focused rage, still sparkling with the blackness of the night and burning with the most intense of evil.

"Sure, you may have provided yourself as a source of energy while I was still imprisoned on the moon, but ever since my return, you have been nothing but a disappointment to me."

As she said this, she began to move closer towards Soul Glow, slowly moving forward, himself stumbling backwards, not taking his frightened eyes off of her.

"You have failed to defeat these six pesky ponies not once, but twice! And this time I even allowed to use a fraction of my magic to help you, which I can see now was a total waste on a pathetic creature such as yourself."

Her words cut like the sharpest of daggers. Every stretch of her voice box proved to be a stab into his heart, her disappointed expression only serving as the brutal twist of the blade.

Even considering his multiple blunders, he had never seen Nightmare Moon like this.

The honeyed words and weak wishes of wellness for Soul Glow had now melted away, revealing the true monster that lay beneath.

"You are an unreliable, worthless and weak insect." She continued to insult him, narrowing her eyes at him. "Now, you are no longer of any use to me..."

These words weighed heavy in the air, but not as heavy as the eyes burning right through Soul Glow.

Time stood still.

All he could do was stand there, under her intense gaze.

Soul Glow was at a complete loss for words. He couldn't even find the voice to beg, ask for forgiveness, or something similar.

To Soul Glow, it was as if God himself had turned his back to him, leaving him to float down the river, and out of memory.

Nightmare Moon growled, her face contorting into one of malicious aggression.

"You are a disgrace!" She suddenly cried out in the most intimidating of tones. "Now prepare to feel my wrath!"

In one swift blow, Nightmare Moon's hoof made contact with Soul Glow's face, cracking him against his cheek.

Soul Glow put a hoof to his new injury, confusion and shock overwhelming any basic survival senses.

Another blow came as Nightmare Moon uppercut him in the chin, his already weak and underkept teeth cracking as a result.

He couldn't even cry out, as a swift kick to the chest sent the unicorn gasping for air, throwing him to the ground from the blow.

In just a few crushing moves, Nightmare Moon had effectively dispatched what six ponies couldn't, all without even using her magic.

All they could do was stare and watch in utter dread and silence.

If she was prepared to do that to her lifelong partner, then who knows just what she was capable of doing to an enemy?

It was truly a despicable act of treachery, one which sent deep and cold chills down the backs of the six.

Even the rough and tumble Rainbow Dash threw away her hard exterior to stand horrified at what she had witnessed.

Fluttershy had already covered her view of this massacre with her hooves, herself trembling in fear as she shook on the ground. She wasn't made for anything like this.

Nightmare Moon calmly strode over to the groaning pony before her

"I personally am glad that you've proved to be such a useless cell." She revealed, a thin smile ever present on her face. "You probably would have just slowed me down."

She looked down at him, feeling amused by this current state.

"This situation suites you rather well, Soul Glow." She exclaimed. "When I found you, you were nothing short of a lesser creature, wallowing around in your own filth and dirt. And where are you now?"

She allowed the question to hang in the air for a second or two.

"Still in the dirt, as brainless and helpless as ever." She chuckled. "I consider this almost a favor."

She spat on the ground next to him.

He wasn't even worth being spat on. In her eyes, her spit held more value than him.

"If I weren't doing this to you, then somepony surely would've…" She told him, herself lowering her powerful horn towards him. "Consider it an honor that it was by somepony as powerful and important like myself."

With a wicked and unhinged grin, she muttered

"You're welcome…"

With a sharp crack from her horn, torrential lightning rained down onto Soul Glow.

His hair, which was normally a wild mess of unkempt knots, was now uniform as all the ends shot up in unison.

His whole body jolted, wiggling on the ground like a worm, his limbs flailing wildly on he yelped and screamed a horrible scream.

The smell of burnt mane and fur filled the air, a smell which only made the evil alicorn very hungry.

She licked her lips in pleasure as she witnessed her lightning engulf and ravage the young pony, letting out a few faint chuckles.

She stopped her work and for the first time, she addressed the six ponies, smiling as she saw the expressions on their faces.

"Well go on, what are you waiting for?" She insulted Twilight, raising a hoof at her in daring challenge. "Weren't you ready to strike me? Let's see your little attack."

All Twilight could do was continue to stand and stare, her mouth agape in shock and terror.

The spell which she was ready to fire had already dissipated, Twilight losing all focus in its casting. She just couldn't focus with what was happening before her.

She had seldom heard of anypony who could be so cruel, and it was especially another thing entirely to see it face to face. No amount of lectures could have prepared her to face somepony so awful, and to one which had served her devoutly.

"Once I finish off Soul Glow, I'll make sure to give you six some attention." She told them. "And then it's off to Canterlot where I shall destroy both the city and my sister."

She turned back to Soul Glow, who was still on the ground, barely conscious but still uttering a periodic moan or two, his chest slowly rising and falling as his breathing labored.

He was too drained, too confused, too broken and beaten to think of anything. He felt as though he was drifting away from his body.

She smiled at his pain, it almost energizing her. The more he screamed, the more he groaned and suffered, the more powerful she felt.

"And now, you will experience the true power of Nightmare Moon…"

And with that, her torrential lightning found itself once again a home on Soul Glow's body, himself returning to his cries of pain, himself kicking up dirt and dust as he wrangled uncontrollably.

The screams could be heard just as well in Twilight's ears, as she stared on in horror, herself too fearful to look away.

All she could do was stare in terror, herself biting her lip in fright as her ears laid low.

While the whines of the stallion filled the air, a faint sound came from behind her.

"Twilight…"

Too faint for her to hear.

"Twilight…"

It sounded off again.

"Twilight!"

This shout snapped her back into reality.

"Huh?!" She cried out, as she turned to Applejack

The cowpony was also bearing a somber face, as was everypony.

The laughter of Pinkie Pie was long gone, Fluttershy had covered her face with her wings, her hooves on her ears.

This act of evil was too much for somepony as pure as her to witness.

All were overwhelmed by this act of sadism, Nightmare Moon's true face was revealed.

Applejack took a deep breath, herself unable to form anymore words.

She stepped back, shaking her head in pity and depression, as Rarity took over.

"I…" She stopped herself as even she couldn't help but stare on at the evil. "I think this is the distraction we needed...for The Elements."

It pained her to say that.

To these ponies of great moral character, it was difficult to just stand there as a fellow pony was enduring such pain, even if he had just tried to fight them minutes ago.

They wanted nothing more than for those cries to end, and for some sort of peace to return.

But for the good of Equestria, they must ignore his cries and shouts of pain, at least for the time being.

Besides, once The Elements were in working order, Nightmare Moon would be defeated, and the pain would stop.

Twilight's face turned from fearful to serious, as she nodded at her companion.

"You're right, Rarity."

She turned to the rest of her friends.

"Alright, girls." She told her companions, her face growing firm with determination. "Just like how we practiced."

As the six ponies materialized their plan, the blows had never stopped.

To Nightmare Moon, it was just like playing with a paddle ball. The more you did it, the more addicting it became. And that's all she saw him as, nothing more than a toy that could be easily thrown away upon the slightest defect.

And to Nightmare Moon, Soul Glow was a defect in and of himself, one that she would soon throw away.

She stopped her attack, smiling at her work.

What she saw now before her was not a lifelong companion or even a simple servant.

What she saw was a broken and beaten pony, a worthless and weak simpleton who couldn't even dispatch a few measly pony. She saw somepony of no value, somepony who was not even worth the fur on his back.

If he were to crawl under a rock and disappear forever, that wouldn't bother her any.

Chuckling at the thought of Soul Glow running scared, Nightmare Moon bent down towards him.

"Tell you what, if you beg for forgiveness, perhaps I may let you go."

Her words may have offered mercy, but were still dripping with the same venom and malice as all her other words were.

In his current state, Soul Glow couldn't utter a single word, let alone construct an entire sentence. All he could let out was a hushed groan.

"I can't hear you!" She cried out, her horn glowing once again with horrible magic.

Using her powerful magic, she levitated the unicorn into the air, slamming him hard against the dirt ground.

"Go on, beg me." She ordered once again.

She lowered her face closer to him.

"Please, masta." She mimicked in a mock accent similar to Soul Glow's. "Purty please let mah go."

Breaking her character, she returned with a sick smile.

"Just like that. Then I may let you go…"

Even if Soul Glow was conscious enough to hear her, he still couldn't carry out this task.

His body had been drained and beaten.

The magic that Nightmare Moon gave him may have provided him with temporary power, but all it did was drain his energy, and replace every muscle with a harsh soreness, every joint with an aggressive ache.

He was under such duress, such shock, that he couldn't even think anymore, not about her treachery, or of his current situation. He wasn't even completely sure where he was anymore, his head spinning with more confusion than a tornado.

Any sound he may have the strength for would only be a gurgling moan, a pained and labored breath, but not a beg for forgiveness.

Nightmare Moon also picked up on this fact.

"I realize that you don't have the energy left to even beg." She states, letting out a slightly annoyed sigh. "You've always been such a disappointment."

She straightened her back, her form now ever solid on the ground, her face now stone cold.

"No matter. Not like it's anything unusual from you." She insulted him, her eyes flashing with malicious sadism. "I hope you give Celestia a warm reception once she joins you."

Her face twisted into a scowl as her horn grew dark, purple sparks of lightning dancing around her horn.

She cocked her head towards the stallion on the ground, as she cried out

"Time to finish-"

She was cut off as a blinding light shone from behind her, followed by a rush of wind, her shimmering hair blowing violently as a result.

She twisted herself around, her attention now fully taken away from Soul Glow and to what was behind her.

What she saw was all six ponies, almost seeming to levitate in the air as pure and heavenly light swirled around them, creating almost an impenetrable shield of pure friendship and harmony. None of them seemed to be afraid anymore, no shaking or quivering. In fact, a few of them even had determined and confident faces, knowing full well that this would soon be over.

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened, herself seeing this magic before.

"What is this?!" She cried out in horror and rageful disbelief, pointing a hoof at them in accusation. "How could you six wield such power?! It's impossible!"

Twilight's face, now illuminated by the blinding white light, twisted into a confident smile.

"It may be impossible for one pony to wield such power, but with friends, all things are possible."

Nightmare Moon let out a growl at such a statement.

"It was your own plans that led to your downfall, Nightmare Moon." Twilight declared with a smile, her eyes still glowing with a heavenly white. "What you did was meant to divide us, but all it did was unite us!"

Her low growl turned into a rabid snarl.

"When the six of us ventured into The Everfree Forest, we faced challenge after challenge, barely coming out of it with our tails in one piece."

"Mine was actually cut off." Rarity muttered, trembling as she relived that horrible event.

"It was during this time when we realized that us coming together was no accident, but a matter of fate." Twilight continued.

She turned to her friends, herself smiling warmly at them.

"AppleJack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and myself grew together due to your meddling, and it was because of this that we learned the most powerful magic of all!"

In an unhinged response, Nightmare Moon desperately fired off a high beam of magic.

The dark lazer fired with as much intensity and power as a pony of darkness could conjure. It was one that would put Soul Glow's dark magic and Twilight's spells to shame.

All it did was harmlessly bounce off, having no effect whatsoever.

"True, you may be strong, even unstoppable in normal circumstances." Twilight addressed her spell. "Your very name may cause fear and terror to anypony who hears it, and your heart may be as black as the night that you desperately cling to…"

The seemingly infinitely bright light only seemed to somehow grow brighter, as Twilight's eyes took on a similar shade of color.

Her smile grew even wider, the force of such power only seeming to grow.

Even the trees shook, leaves being ripped away as the magical forces vibrated.

"But even the most powerful forms of darkness is no match against the magic of friendship!"

As she uttered the words, the light only glowed more powerful and exploded off of the six, flying towards them with much more force than anything before.

It was a blinding light, one that shone with one thousand suns and felt just as hot.

Soul Glow put a hoof to his eyes as the light was too much to bear.

He felt the supersonic light shatter the air as it zoomed right over him, and heard the sounds of it colliding with Nightmare Moon, herself letting out a terrible scream of defeat.

It was then silent, just as quickly as it happened.

Soul Glow opened his eyes, dazed and confused, himself still in great pain.

He glanced at the six ponies before him, themselves back to their normal selves, as they slumped on the ground, tired from their grand display of magic.

He looked back at where he last saw Nightmare Moon.

He saw not the fearsome and powerful Nightmare Moon that he had long since known, but a much smaller, much less intimidating pony.

She still bore a striking resemblance to Nightmare Moon, but had a much more softer, friendlier face, one that bore confusion, with a tinge of fear.

Her once wavy hair, glittering with the blackness of the night, took on a much more dull and short color.

He didn't understand what he saw, he couldn't understand.

All he understood was that he wanted to leave this setting at once.

He did what he could do, what he did the last time his back was cornered against a rock and a hard place.

His body, full of new and untapped fear and adrenaline, quickly stood up.

He ran.

He didn't know where to, anywhere but here.

He ignored the pain in his legs, the soreness of his body, and the six ponies who were too exhausted from their previous spell to chase after him.

To Soul Glow, all there was was just himself, and the path ahead, an unknown destination and an unknown future.

That was the only order which he could follow well, and it didn't even have to be addressed by Nightmare Moon.

All he had to do was think, and he ran.

* * *

He had ran, with more speed and distance than anything before.

His heart, beating with as much fear, anger, confusion, and adrenaline than ever before.

Fear in what had just transpired.

Although his mind was unable to comprehend the betrayal and beating showcased by Nightmare Moon, he was definitely able to understand what happened soon after.

Although he couldn't fully grasp it, all he knew what that Nightmare Moon had been hit by a blast of untold magic, and then…

He wasn't sure.

Surely that weak and small pony couldn't have been the mighty Nightmare Moon, perhaps just a mere illusion portrayed by the six.

But this also angered him, both in anger in this defeat, but also of the actions of that unicorn Twilight.

She was not only able, but willing to strike out at Nightmare Moon, one of such harmonious standing. To Soul Glow, it was as if Twilight had tried to step on a newborn puppy, something that just isn't done.

All of this together drove confusion deep within him, which in turn created more fear, more anger, and thus more adrenaline.

He had ran for hours, his heart beating faster than his steps.

However, even this massive amount of primordial energy had to run out, eventually the soreness and splitting of his hooves grew too much for the poor fool to bear.

He limped, his legs giving out, but his mind still wild and unnerved.

By this time, the evening was already beginning, as the sun set and the moon started to rise.

He didn't quite know where he was, but he thought he may be somewhere near The Everfree Forest.

It didn't matter anyway. That long forgotten farmhouse, the cave which he shared with Nightmare Moon, there was nothing there for him now. He had no home, nowhere to go, and nopony to go to.

He swore he could feel the cracks in his bones, only worsening the more he walked.

But he couldn't stop now, no matter how much his body begged him.

Taking a look over his shoulder, all he saw was a mareless moon suspended in the night sky, only reminding him that he was now totally alone.

It was as if that empty moon was a staring eye, glaring at him in accusation.

If he were to stop now then maybe guilt and realization would catch up to him and grab him by the throat, but about what he did not know.

He had been played the fool since he was a foal.

Taken from his home at a very young age, memory wiped clean, evil forces breaching his mind, taking over his psyche. Under the constant indoctrination of Nightmare Moon, his body had been starved, battered by the elements, waiting for his master to return to this world.

Nightmare Moon was the only pony which he had a connection to. Everything and everypony that he had ever known before her had been forgotten about, or wiped clean from his mind by her evil magic. To follow and obey his master was the only purpose that he had left, and if she was truly gone, than he had nothing.

At least a slave with a master had a purpose in life, but now he was a slave without a master, just a wandering soul, remembered and cared about by nopony, as light and fleeting as the wind.

All of this, and he didn't even know it.

He didn't know anything, he couldn't see anything.

All he could do was feel the ground underneath his tired and battered legs, hoping that the next step just might end this nightmare, that he would wake up back in the care of Nightmare Moon.

He didn't even notice himself approaching the edge of a grassy hill, one of the many rolling slopes that dotted this area.

He slipped on the decline, tumbling down the grassy hill, smashing into bushes and trees.

He tried to get up from the dirt, but struggled, feeling as if somepony were holding him down.

For the first time, he was awakened from his trance like state, and looking around, saw that he had tangled himself into a mass vines, all four of his limbs bound by the twisting plants.

Through his panicked movements, the vines tightened around him like tentacles, himself letting out a low grunt, too tired and broken for a proper scream.

He was all alone now. His parents were long forgotten about, his home, even his estranged bond with Nightmare Moon was now shattered, as broken as his body was, his heart in as much pain as himself.

For the first time in a while, he shed a tear of self pity, it shining in the moonlight as it trickled down his worn and beaten face.

Even in The Everfree Forest, he still had Nightmare Moon's voice, constantly giving him company in the darkest of nights. But now it was silent, he heard nothing.

For the first time in his life, he was completely and utterly alone.

His eyes fluttered with exhaustion, and then everything went black as he finally succumbed to exhaustion.


	6. Aftermath

**Author's Note: Alright, this one came out faster than I expected! Hope you enjoy reading this chapter as I study and struggle for my midterms!**

**As always, credit to Spirit of Fantasy and Misseljebel for editing this glorious chapter.**

* * *

Even if the battle was over, the conclusion had yet to come.

Now that Nightmare Moon had been reverted back to Princess Luna and was now in Canterlot, that left only one piece left missing to complete this puzzle.

Soul Glow, the underling of Nightmare Moon, was still missing, still out there.

The fact that he remained unchecked, however, was unnerving to the six ponies, mostly Twilight.

She was the only one of the six to be educated on dark magic, especially such of Nightmare Moon's.

She knew that only a force of darkness could wield such power, and that's really all that she saw Soul Glow as. He was a force of destruction, one that needed to be found.

From what she remembered hearing during her time in Celestia's School, villains fought each other all the time, they were mere power struggles, nothing more.

The unicorn, nor the other five, had no knowledge of what led him down this dark path, nor of the many years of manipulation and deceit.

All they knew was that he suddenly appeared with Nightmare Moon, at her side, gleefully obeying every word from his master, willing and able to carry out whatever task was required.

Twilight knew only that of Soul Glow, she had no reason to feel sorry for him nor care about him.

He was just another villain who needed to be captured and face his crimes.

And that's just what the six ponies were doing, searching for him, to end his terror and bring about justice.

However, even if their mission was for the good of all Equestria, a few of them still preferred to be elsewhere.

"All this walking around is torture on my hooves!" Rarity whined, herself not used to such an environment. "All this dirt and grim will take hours to get out of my mane!"

Really, the hoofs of all ponies, and feet of dragon, involved in this search had been worn out from hours.

From sunrise to the mid afternoon of now, a constant march had been carried out, from Ponyville to Canterlot, and through every nook and cranny of The Everfree Forest.

Even if their work had been long, with every step it was drawing closer to a conclusion. Afterall, there are only so many places left that haven't been checked.

"You'll still have the prettiest mane in Equestria." Spike whispered to Rarity, still overwhelmed by her beauty.

Thankfully, he was lost in such a state of romance, that his words weren't heard by anypony.

"Perhaps we should split up?" Rarity suggested, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible. "We can cover much more ground that way."

"We shouldn't split up…" Fluttershy whispered to her friend, a tinge of fear in her eyes. "Afterall, what if that monster is close? I wouldn't want anypony to face him alone…"

"Do you think he's still...d-dangerous?" Spike choked up, shaking upon Fluttershy's words.

Rainbow Dash laughed at the two's fears.

"Now that Nightmare Moon is taken care of, he should be no problem!" She confidently proclaimed. "We can take out that long maned maniac!"

"Rainbow!" Twilight scowled her with a glare. "We're not 'taking him out'. We're going to find him, and bring him to justice."

The pegasus grumbled at this, herself bored and in need of some action.

"Whatever." She mumbled, before clapping her hooves together as she declared "But if he tries anything, I'll remind him of yesterday!"

"We just need to follow his tracks, and we'll find him eventually." Twilight reminded her pegasus friend. "Thankfully, we have Applejack here to help us track him.

"Ah shucks, Twilight." The farmpony blushed at her friend's compliment. "It ain't that hard. Truth be told, trackin' a pony ain't much different than trackin' a critter."

Applejack glanced back at the forest ground, analyzing the hoofprints even further, saying

"And he was walkin' purty heavy hooved, by the looks of things, slow too."

"Ha!" Rainbow Dash sniggered in joy upon hearing this. "We must've done a real number on that guy if he's limping away!"

"It wasn't easy to take him down." Twilight reminded her bravado filled friend. "Us six, Nightmare Moon, The Elements of Harmony, they all played a part in his defeat."

"If only The Elements hadn't drained us of all our energy!" Rainbow Dash grumbled upon their reference. "We couldn't captured him right then and there, and ended this whole thing!"

Twilight couldn't help but smile at her friend's outburst, herself also wishing that were the case.

"It's nothing to get your mane in a tangle over, Dash." She said to her. "We'll find him today."

"And when we do, we can throw an 'Equestria is Safe from Evil' celebration!" Pinkie Pie sounded off, excitement growing as she imagined such a party. "First Nightmare Moon, and now Soul Glow! We must be good at this!"

"We'll have time for parties and celebrations once he's in jail." Twilight reminded her overly excited friend. "Let's just stay focused on the task at hoof."

As she turned away from her friends, she saw something at the corner of her eye.

She twisted her head towards her right and saw something in the distance.

It was a large, brown blur, their vision of it clouded by the dense foliage.

Upon closer inspection, they saw that it was in the shape of a pony.

They found him.

Twilight creeped a few inches closer, squinting her eyes to get a better view.

Dirt, twigs, and leaves stuck to his long and mangled mane, dried mud clinging to his fur, covering his natural white hair and replacing it with a dull brown.

A few bugs and flies swirled around the smelly unicorn, occasionally landing on him before flying off again.

It looked as though he was almost sitting down, vines wrapped around his chest, hooves, and a few around his head, holding him tightly in this position.

He wasn't moving, not from where Twilight could see him.

They approached him slowly and cautiously, the whole party not speaking a word.

For some it was out of fear, not wishing to attract his attention. But for others, it was out of sheer determination to capture him, to bring him to justice once and for all.

Twilight wasn't sure if he was passed out, unconscious, or perhaps just simply sleeping.

"Alright Spike…" Twilight spoke softly to her friend, not taking her eyes off of the bounded Soul Glow. "Now see if you can get him out of there."

The dragon shot a frightened look towards her, as he cried out

"Huh?!"

He stared back at the passed out stallion before them, taking a heavy gulp as his eyes tingled with fear.

He remembered full well the story that Twilight gave him about Soul Glow, and Spike wasn't too keen on meeting him.

However, he was keen on staying loyal to his friends, especially Twilight.

"Yeah, sure…" Spike whispered, full of fear as he slowly moved stiff legged towards him. "But if he so much as twitches, I'm out of here."

The dragon took a slow and quiet breath.

Opening his mouth, a small burst of fire flew forth.

The flame made contact with one of the many vines, the heat snapping the plant instantly.

Spike repeated this process, Soul Glow drifting closer to the ground with each vine broken.

Another puff of breath later, and Spike broke a few other branches, attaining the same effect.

As Spike breathed out another stream of fire, a loud snap sounded off, the few vines that were still attached to him unable to support his weight.

A few more loud snaps were heard, as the final vines broke against his weight, and the stallion slammed face down into the dirt ground, only a slight moan coming from him.

But he didn't move, nor did he mutter anything else. He must still be passed out.

Twilight approached the unconscious Soul Glow, cautiously looking him over.

She saw his chest slowly rise and fall, his breathing steady.

He was not disturbed by this fall. It was unlikely that he would be waking up anytime soon.

But just in case...

Her horn lit up with a light blue aura.

It was a light spell, not one containing any harmful magic.

It glowed with a faint blue hue, growing much more intense as the unicorn funneled more magic and power into it.

With a flick of her head, the spell flowed out and towards Soul Glow.

As it made contact with him, the spell flowed into him, his whole body pulsating with a slight bluish tint.

Soul Glow let out a single harsh breath, tensing up, before his body quickly grew limp once again.

His color returned to its natural dirty state, as his light and steady breathing was replaced by a loud and obnoxious snore.

Whether he was unconscious or passed out, it didn't matter now.

He was now under the influence of a rather potent sleeping spell, and he would not wake up for several hours.

When Twilight turned back to her friends, most bore a curious gaze towards her, while a few even expressed shock at her actions.

They had no real idea what she had just done, what kind of spell she just applied him with.  
"This will make sure that he doesn't wake up." Twilight explained the sleeping spell to her friends. "Afterall, I wouldn't want him to come to and freak out during our journey back."

The unicorn gulped to herself, as she recounted the journey they went through to find him.

They had wandered for hours through uneven and unforgiving terrain, crossing rivers and mountains, an endless sea of trees all to find him.

They had cuts, blisters, sunburns, and a few were even afflicted with minor cases of poison ivy.

They went through all of that, and now they would have to go through it all again, all while carrying another pony with them, one which nopony really wished to carry.

His stink came before him, his fur was coarse and prickly, and his bony body made for very uncomfortable luggage.

And it was a long walk back to Canterlot.

* * *

The six ponies stood outside of Soul Glow's hospital room, Princess Celestia at their side.

It may have been a grueling journey, seemingly more unforgiving and difficult than the last, but it was made.

Now that that hard step had been completed, an even harder process would soon follow, one which Celestia was not quite sure on how to approach.

Peace and stability have been the trademarks of the last few hundred years, and Celestia had

Now, all of a sudden she was thrown back into reality. In just a few days two villains had emerged, and were dealt with. However, what remained would be something that Celestia would need to take care of, to help heal.

While the Princess was thinking of helpful solutions, many of those six ponies sought punishment, some sort of consequence for their crimes.

Even if their hooves hurt, and their backs ached, that didn't stop them from showing up.

While ponies such as Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie weren't entirely sure on how to deal with this situation at hoof, whether that be punishment or friendship, the other ponies knew.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash still suffered aching bruises from their last encounter with Soul Glow, and Applejack wasn't about to let him slide either.

If one of the ponies would look through the hospital room's window, they would see a sleeping Soul Glow, accompanied by a doctor and Princess Luna herself.

Honestly though, none of the six ponies really wanted to see Soul Glow either, and were glad that Celestia blocked their vision from the room.

Even a mere glance at his general direction would spark some sort of anger from a few of the ponies.

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth, believing that Soul Glow didn't deserve something as nice as a hospital bed, but rather a jail cell all to his own.

Twilight, also sharing blows with him, felt in a similar manner, but kept her turmoil within.

The rest of the six were just anxious to find out what the Princess would decide.

"What do you plan on doing with him, Princess?" Rarity asked, the question also in the minds of the others.

Celestia slowly blinked her eyes as she thought about the unicorn's words.

It was something that she had thought long and hard about, and was still unaware of the answer fully.

Celestia thought to herself, as she began

"Usually, for such crimes, he would be put on trial, and if found guilty, sentenced to time in prison."

This statement earned a satisfied smirk from Rainbow Dash.

However, it quickly fell as the Princess continued.

"However, I've heard the stories that my sister has told me. His situation is unique from the rest of any other criminal."

True manipulation on a mass scale, from Soul Glow's childhood, up to his current state.

It was something that in all of her years as a regal ruler, she had never seen before, not even the villains of Discord or Tirek engaged in such an act.

However, this fact was unknown to the six ponies, and thus no sympathy would come.

"Well, I wouldn't want to get near that pony." Twilight told her. "It's best that he's locked up in prison, as far as I'm concerned."

"A prison with no parties!" Pinkie Pie declared, throwing her hooves up in boldness. "A true punishment fitting of his crimes!"

"I wouldn't touch him with a thirty nine and a half foot pole." Applejack added. "He was a real mess of a pony."

"Hear hear, that colt was a beast." Rarity agreed with her friend, nodding her head. "And...he stunk!"

She stated that as if it were the worst quality about him, which to her, it most likely was.

"Yeah, I noticed." Rainbow Dash sniggered at her friend.

"So did I." Spike agreed.

Celestia let out a gentle smile at the six.

She was fully aware of their current opinion towards the colt, and fully understood why.

However, Celestia had also lived much longer than all six of these ponies combined. She knew that there was much more that meets the eye, and that a radical punishment wasn't needed in all cases of dissidence.

"His stink may come before him, but I believe with a gentle hoof, he may smell just like the rest of us." Celestia stated.

"Huh?" Pinkie Pie bellowed in confusion.

"You think you can convert that monster?!" Twilight demanded, herself understanding the metaphor.

Upon realizing her outburst towards her mentor, Twilight's purple face turned a shade of red, as she quickly took a bow to her princess in apology.

"Uh, please forgive me, Celestia..."

Celestia simply shook her head at her pupil's worries, beckoning her to rise with a hoof.

"All is forgiven, Twilight." The Princess told her friend. "Afterall, I can see why you and your friends would hold him in such a negative regard."

"Uh, ya think?" Rainbow Dash rudely popped in.

Everypony glanced at the pegasus, eyes wide open.

Sure, Twilight had also had an outburst towards Celestia, but that was quickly followed up with an apology and was accepted just as quickly.

But Rainbow Dash didn't apologize, nor did her face harbor any sense of regret towards her words.

However, nopony said a word, prompting Rainbow Dash to continue.

"No offence, Princess." The pegasus began. "But I agree with Twi. He's a monster, through and through."

"Maybe not a monster…" Fluttershy whispered to her. "But definitely somepony bad…"

"You weren't the one who was slammed into the ground by him!" The pegasus sounded off, pointing at her yellow friend with a hoof. "He's not a 'somepony', he's a monster!"

She then spun to Celestia, stating

"You should've seen him yesterday! He was an absolute maniac! I barely got out in one piece!"

Even the most patient and regal of ponies had their limits, and Celestia was nearing her own.

Over the course of a few mere days, she had gone through much more stress than she had even endured in quite a while.

In just a short amount of time, her long lost sister had returned, bent on a perpetual state of night and the destruction of herself.

Now that that situation had been smashed, Celestia would still need to be there to help pick up the pieces.

She would have to be there to help and care for her sister both emotionally and psychologically, to help her deal with the past and look forward towards the future.

To not just her sister, but now to Soul Glow.

Two ponies were now dependent on the Princess, all within the span of a few short days.

It was a mess that nopony could've been ready for, even the wise Celestia.

Under all of this stress and self doubt, the angered cries of the pegasus before her surely wasn't helping.

Her characterly warm and welcoming face hardened, herself slightly narrowing her eyes at the pegasus.

"Your mind is made up about him." She stated bluntly, her tone matching her expression. "And so is mine."

While this tone may have rubbed a few the wrong way, Twilight knew this face very well.

Although she hadn't seen it in awhile, she saw it most often when she was just a filly, studying at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.

It was the face that Celestia made to her whenever she acted out, somehow disrespecting the Princess, or greatly disappointed her.

It was a face that only a mother could replicate to her children. And to Celestia, all the ponies of Equestria were her children, whether that be Twilight or Soul Glow.

Celestia's mind was made up, and there would be no point in trying to change it.

Twilight knew that it would be best to leave now, and let Celestia deal with him, and come to whichever conclusion she chose.

The unicorn turned to her five friends.

"Come on girls, let's head back to Ponyville." She told them. "We have a few houses still in disrepair to fix."

While she agreed fully with her flying friend, Twilight didn't want to disagree with Celestia.

As Rainbow Dash was about to shout out another line, Applejack roughly elbowed her in the side, shutting her up.

The pegasus glared momentarily at her friend, saying nothing as they both joined the rest.

And with that, the six of them left the room.

Celestia took a long and thoughtful breath through her nostrils, reflecting on what just took place.

Of course, her mind had thought about simply locking the pony in jail, and throwing away the key. It would be so much easier, afterall.

At least, that's what she wanted to do before she heard the stories that Luna provided to her, about how Soul Glow was probably just as much of a victim as Equestria was.

To cast him away now would be an unspeakable act to the regal and fair Princess.

No, she would have to think of something else.

But, as Celestia thought to herself before, this was a unique situation, something that she had never seen before.

What she was doing now was unfamiliar to her, and she hoped that she was right.

Entering the room, Celestia saw the doctor and her long lost sister, both of them huddled around the bed in the center.

On the large and soft bed, Soul Glow layed, tucked underneath a warm blanket, a few bandages decorating his face.

His eyes were closed, as his mouth hung open, a bit of drool creeping down his cheek as his snores filled the room, his chest rising and falling.

He was still under Twilight's spell, sound asleep and recovering.

Celestia then cast her gaze towards her sister.

While it had been a day since her defeat, Luna still looked just as ragged and tired as when she was first brought before Celestia.

While whatever physical injuries she may have received from battle were well healed, what injured her the most was the pain in her heart.

Pain for both her actions towards her sister and towards Soul Glow.

Especially now, staring at him as he lay sleeping on the hospital bed, fresh bandages applied to appropriate areas, she could hardly take it.

Luna looked as if she was on the verge of tears.

Celestia's eyes narrowed in sadness at seeing her sister in such a state, but turned her gaze back to the Doctor.

"How is he?" She asked, referring to Soul Glow.

The Doctor took a deep breath through her nostrils, letting Celestia know that it was much more complicated than that.

"While is physical wounds are minor, his mental state is in a far worse condition." She told her ruler.

Celestia put a hoof to her chin, as she asked

"What do you mean?"

Even if she was the wise ruler of well over one thousand years, there were still many things she was not educated on. The mental health and activities of a pony in this situation, she did not know.

The Doctor let out a slight sigh at the Princess's question.

Honestly, that was probably the simplest way the Doctor could have phrased that statement.

To say that Soul Glow's mental state was in a far worse condition was a tragic understatement.

It extended far beyond any sort of problems that a pony may first expect.

Sure, mental health was a concern, but there was so much more to be worried about.

He had never seen the doors of any school, he had never received an education, or even exposed to meaningful parts of the world. All he did was sit around in a forest for a few years.

Even basic knowledge such as mathematics, how to read and write, proper ethics and manners, they could all be lost to him.

There were so many potential problems, but all unknown at the moment.

The only time they would be sure would be when Soul Glow awakes, and how he shall interact with everypony.

This was far beyond the realm of one doctor, especially one who specializes in medical science, not social nor psychological.

"For years, he was left isolated from the world, pursuing only one goal, a very destructive one at that." The doctor explained, trying to form her words well.

Celestia put a hoof to her mouth as she muttered

"Oh my…"

Luna dipped her head even lower to the ground in guilt and shame, a few tears beginning to well up.

Whether she was under the corruption of darkness or not, it didn't matter. In Luna's eyes, she owned as much blame as Nightmare Moon did.

The young colt was in the hospital bed before her, it was all her fault.

If it wasn't for her, he would still be with his family, in a place of warm love and safety.

Now that all that had been ripped from him, it was up to her to replace it.

She needed time to think, time alone with the Doctor to decide what to do.

From a medical perspective, surely she could come up with some sort of a solution.

Luna casted her sister a stare, her eyes weak and watery, her lip twitching as she struggled to keep in her emotions.

It was a look which Celestia had seen several times in their shared childhood, of course she hadn't seen it for some time.

Ultimately, it was the face that Luna would make whenever she wished to be alone, or simply just not in her sister's presence.

Whether it was out of sheer shame, embarrassment, or something else was unknown.

Celestia caught onto the gaze rather quickly, as she thought of an excuse to leave.

Although she wasn't quite keen on leaving her sister alone, especially in her saddened state, she knew her sister well.

Alone time may do her some good, time to clear her head and think.

Ultimately, a good pondering would do greater than a lecture, and Celestia and Luna had exchanged plenty of those over the past hours.

Celestia strode towards the door, smiling in her regal fashion, as she stated to everypony in the room

"Whenever he does awake, it is imperative that we show him hospitality from the start."

"First impressions are important." The doctor agreed, nodding at her princess.

This was a true statement.

If Soul Glow was indeed told from childhood that Canterlot was the hive of all evil, their first priority should be to disprove this.

Only when Soul Glow finally sees that these ponies aren't evil will he start to trust them, and with trust perhaps real friendships could come, not like the fake one with Nightmare Moon.

"I should prepare a room for him when he wakes up." Celestia stated, as she thought about what to furnish it with. "A cold and bland hospital room doesn't exactly imply a state of welcomeness."

Warm and fluffy pillows should be added, a nice soft blanket, some sort of heater. Celestia thought to herself that he might enjoy a change from the cold and dirty Everfree Forest.

"Warm and delicious food too." The Doctor recommended. "A good meal can do wonders for your attitude, and he'll probably be hungry when he wakes up."

The alicorn's face warmed up considerably at this suggestion.

It was good to see that at least one other pony besides the sisters cared for Soul Glow.

"Agreed, easy to eat and delicious food."

Celestia thought to herself as she muttered

"Perhaps pancakes…"

The regal Princess smiled to herself, she did have a wonderful recipe for pancakes.

And with that, the eldest sister left the room, leaving Luna and the doctor alone with Soul Glow.

With her sister gone, Luna slowly casted her head away from her tear covered lap, and towards the doctor.

She felt that talking in a room with one other ponies was much easier than doing it with two ponies, even if one of them was her sister.

Perhaps it was the fact that she was speaking with a stranger that made it easier.

Her eyes flickered from the doctor, and to Soul Glow.

"These physical injuries you speak of, just what are they?" The Princess of the night finally asked.

The doctor was surprised by Luna's sudden question, perhaps too surprised.

This was the first time Luna had spoken since she entered the room.

All the doctor heard from the Princess before this was the occasional sigh and sniffle, perhaps even a slight moan of regret.

The Doctor wasn't even sure if she had even heard Luna talking at all up until this point.

However, the Doctor brushed her thoughts aside.

The Princess had a question that needed an answer, and that was that.

"A few cuts and bruises from the battle, but nothing that a few days of rest couldn't fix." She stated. "They really are minor. Most of his ailments aren't even from his fight with Twilight and her friends."

Luna raised an eyebrow at this.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, years of living alone in such a hostile and wild place, basic hygiene had been neglected."

She gently put a hoof to the sleeping Soul Glow's face, slowly pulling apart his lips, revealing his teeth.

"His teeth are very weak." The doctor stated. "As you can see, they're very yellow, and most contain a cavity or two. Most of the front teeth are also cracked."

She turned to Luna, admitting

"Although I can't think of how. Maybe he got them eating a food too hard for him to handle?"

Luna gritted her teeth together upon hearing this, her arms beginning to wobble in self contempt.

Luna remembered very well what she had done to him, the injuries onto his teeth were caused entirely by her.

She had used him, and when his usefulness proved to be at an end, she simply cast him aside like litter, even giving him a few injuries as a goodbye present.

The Princess shuddered, not believing that she was once capable of such brutal acts, and all on a pony who really didn't deserve it.

It was her hatred for her sister that caused the whole thing.

"What...what else?" She weakly asked, not knowing if she could handle anymore.

The doctor wasn't done.

"His coat and mane are filthy, as you can see." She said, pulling down his blanket slightly as to expose more. "Upon closer inspection, I discovered his mane is full of lice."

She rubbed her hooves into his dirty and tangled mane. Pulling them out, her hooves were covered in dirt and grim, not to mention white specks, lice.

"He'll need a good steam bath to get them out." The doctor concluded, rubbing her hooves together as to knock the pests off.

She then analyzed her hooves carefully, staring at them with an inquisitive look on her face.

Slowly, she sniffed at her hooves, quickly jolting her head away, as if some pungent smell lingered.

Curiously, she eyed his mane, it looking more like a dusty combination of a rat's nest and a spiderweb, filled with more dirt and dust than a farmhouse.

It was so caked on with years old dirt in fact, that his natural black hair looked almost brown to the normal eye.

With an eye raised in curiosity, the Doctor lowered her head to the stallion's, taking a quick sniff at his mane.

Her face immediately turned a shade of sickly green, as she belched, attempting to keep her rising bile at bay.

She swallowed hard, her color returning as she turned back towards the Princess with watery eyes, saying

"And I agree with those six ponies, he could use a bath."

However, even with all of this relatively good news, Luna still hung low in shame, her whole body limp, staring at the ground.

No matter how severe or minor his injuries or ailments were, it didn't matter. No matter how much or how little pain he was currently feeling, it was still all of Luna's fault that he was feeling it. If it wasn't for her meddling, if only she had kept the child innocent, ignored him, and allow him to continue living a poor yet happy life with his family.

It had been so long, and so much had happened in the meantime, that the location of his parents had been long forgotten by both Luna and Soul Glow.

It was almost as if they never existed in the first place.

The Doctor caught the depression of the dark pony, frowning slightly.

Even if the alicorn before her had just recently threatened to cast all of Equestria in eternal night, she was different now. Her expressions of regret towards her actions more than proved it.

The Doctor smiled at Luna, attempting to alleviate her mood, puffing out her chest in confidence.

"Most of these are just cosmetic damages." The doctor optimistically declared. "I'm sure with a few days of hard work, we can undo most of these. A good mane-cut, a soapy bath, a trip to the dentist…"

The doctor's voice trailed off as she saw the worried face of Luna not dissipating like she would've hoped.

In fact, her face only seemed to droop and shudder more as time went on, almost as if every thought Luna pondered was one of self hatred and regret.

"Just tell me the honest truth, Doctor." Luna muttered, taking a short yet teary eyed sigh. "Can he get better? Can the damage be undone?"

The Doctor frowned upon this question.

She knew that the princess wasn't referring to physical damage anymore.

The doctor turned back to the patient, himself still sound asleep.

She really didn't know where to start. That question was far out of the scope of her knowledge.

"I won't lie…" The doctor started, rubbing a hoof through her mane. "I wouldn't be able to give an accurate answer to that question. I am a doctor. What you seek is a psychologist."

However, Luna didn't falter.

"Please, doctor." She begged. "I need an answer, any answer from a professional opinion. I don't care if it's right or not, but I need an answer."

Any answer would do.

All Luna desired was some sort of light in this dark unknown, to give her some sort of direction of where to go from her, any sort of guideline.

Luna was may have woken up from her nightmare, but all she did was find herself in another.

The worried face of the Doctor only increased as Luna's expression grew more serious, more desperate and depressed.

Truth be told, it was hard to keep one's nerves when even a princess was struggling to do the same.

Her worried gaze turned into a small smile upon seeing him, sleeping and snoring as if nothing was the matter.

Honestly, in this current state, he seemed no different than any of the other patients she's had.

At least he slept like a normal pony.

"His mind is strong, but it'll take time for it to recover." She informed her. "Since you're the only face familiar to him, you must attend to him every day. I believe that only you can help him through."

Honestly, Luna had planned on doing that anyway.

It would be far easier for the two to form some sort of bond with each other.

All Luna wished was that Soul Glow could dig deep, and recover from whatever damage and issues he may have, that forgiveness and understanding could be delivered, rather than harsh words and angry hooves.

"His situation is delicate." The Doctor added. "He's around the same age as Twilight Sparkle and the other six, but his intelligence is most likely comparable to that of a school pony. If what you say is correct, and he was indeed isolated from the world for many years, it's possible that he may not even know how to spell his own name or count without his hooves."

The Doctor continued with her ramblings.

"And if his temperament is also that of a child…" She stopped herself, saying "Well, that can only be determined after he wakes up, although that's what I would think."

Luna casted her eyes away from the Doctor and her rambling, and back towards Soul Glow.

Even if he slept in relative peace, his outer appearance still bore an ugly state.

She saw the bandages on his face, knew that just a few hours ago, he was pricked with several needles, containing everything from antibiotics to vitamins and other nutrients to ensure a speedy recovery.

He was pumped and injected full of all manners of medication, and now was sleeping soundly.

"Is there anymore work that needs to be done on him?" Luna asked.

"No, his injuries have been cleaned, the medicine has been administered, and the bandages are on." The Doctor told her, shaking her head. "Now, all we have to do is just sit and wait."

As the Doctor sat down, Luna was able to get a better look at her.

She looked tired and ragged, a few black bags decorating underneath her eyes. When she breathed, it was slow and shallow, and multiple wet staines covered her otherwise white uniform.

She had been working with Soul Glow nonstop for hours now, tending to his injuries, cleaning him of any dirt and scum that she could find, all the while dealing with the stress of the possibility of him waking up while she was tending to him, and just what might happen as a result.

Afterall, it's not everyday that you're charged with treating and looking after an unconcious, yet wild colt, who just moments ago, used dark and evil magic to cause harm to his fellow ponies.

It definitely wasn't something that she had signed up for.

"Then you are relieved of your duty, Doctor." Luna told her, wishing for the Doctor to finally take a break from her constant attending.

The Doctor let out an audible sigh of relief, her face lighting up a bit upon hearing this.

It had been awhile since she had eaten, working on Soul Glow had left her with no time, and missed both her lunch and dinner.

"I'm going to the cafeteria then." She told the Princess. "I've been tending to him for the past six hours, I'm hungry."

Even hospital food sounded good to doctor at this point.

However, as the Doctor walked towards the door, she stopped herself, noticing that Luna had not left Soul Glow's bedside.

"Are you coming, Princess?" The Doctor asked. "There really isn't anything to do here for the next few hours. I'm sure you could use a meal after what you've been through as well."

Despite Luna's recent indulgence as Nightmare Moon, the Doctor did not fear her as most other ponies did.

Most ponies would still see her as Nightmare Moon, a force of darkness and evil, one never to be trusted and always to be feared and hated.

However, the Doctor had been educated in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, much as the same Twilight Sparkle was.

While her studies mostly focused on medicine, she was also given a crash course in other subjects.

She knew how The Elements of Harmony worked, and what effect they had on those struck by them.

The dark magic was gone, and thus any ill will towards others.

Besides, if Luna was a direct relation to the kind and understanding Celestia, then she must not be all that bad.

Either way, the invitation of food did sound tempting to the Princess.

Truth be told, Luna had also not eaten since the previous day. However, she really didn't have much of an appetite at the moment. Her focus was devoted to Soul Glow, not food for herself.

"No, I thank you for the invitation, but I think I'll stay by his side." She told her subject, giving her a tiny but fake smile. "When he wakes up, he should see me first."

The Doctor nodded at her, saying

"I understand."

And with that, the pony left the room, leaving the Princess alone with an unconscious Soul Glow.

Luna, formally known as Nightmare Moon, turned back to the bed.

She eased closer to the colt, brushing at his dirty mane affectionately with a hoof.

Although he did in fact smell horrible, in all honesty, he sort of reminded her of a sleeping foal, careless and completely relaxed.

He didn't look at all like the monster that most of Equestria now saw him as.

Her times as Nightmare Moon may have been only a few days ago, but her memory of the whole situation was cloudy and uneven, just like a dream that was slowly being forgotten.

However, she still remembered vaguely a younger Soul Glow, before she began her systematic manipulation.

He was happy, like most children his age are. He was full of energy, like most children his age are. He showed all the characteristics of a happy and healthy child, even if he did go hungry for most of his days. He was a normal foal, smiling brighter than the moon that shone through his dark nights.

But now, he wasn't, and Luna was to blame.

She had to put her own problems and issues aside, forget about them and focus on healing this poor stallion, to undo the damages that she had caused him over the years. For the time being, she didn't matter anymore, it was all about Soul Glow.

If Luna could fix him, then perhaps she wasn't the monster that most of Equestria now saw her to be. If Luna could fix him, perhaps she may even have a friend in this new world.

By aiding Soul Glow, she would be solving two problems at once.

By turning him good, she could trust that she wasn't evil, that all characteristics of Nightmare Moon had left her, never to return again.

Soul Glow wasn't evil, it was simply years of manipulation and abuse that left him cold and antagonistic. Underneath all that damage, he was just as sweet as any other pony could be, perhaps even more so than most.

Luna knew that better than anypony.

It was just a matter of bringing it out for all of Equestria to see.


	7. A Shaky Start

**Author's Note: All I have to say is thank you all so much for all the support last chapter got! With one chapter, I gained four followers and ******four****** favorites, almost doubling the amount, and pushing me into double digit followers! Thanks so much for this support you all have for Soul Glow, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter. It was longer than I expected!**

**As always, big thanks to Spirit of Fantasy and MissEljebel for reviewing over this chapter!**

* * *

He was running.

Soul Glow didn't know where he was, or where he was going. All he knew was what lay behind him, and that he wanted to get away from it.

His hooves clopped against the dirt ground, leaving a thick trail of dust behind him, a perfect beacon to the creature that was chasing him.

Yes, a creature. Any creature with a heart as black as this one was not a pony, but a creature, a blight to all kind and wholesome creatures.

He hadn't even gotten a good look at whatever was chasing him, but he felt the evil, the sheer malicious intentions. It chilled his blood far greater than the cold night.

He continued to trot down the dirt path, branches smacking him in the face, leaves tangled in his mane as he ran, only the light of the moon provided a source of direction.

He didn't see the monster as it lingered behind him, but he could feel its eyes, burning right through him with a sort of primal anger and ill intent that he didn't think possible.

He took a quick glance behind him, not seeing any such monster, but only the blackness of the night.

He stopped his gallop, confused.

He could've sworn it was just on his tail, but now had vanished.

Still cautious, he turned back around, preparing to continue with his escape.

It was now right in front of him.

The foul darkness emanated from the pony, filling the air, so thick that one could choke on it.

Soul Glow was almost frozen, shaking in fear as he quivered, eyes wide in terror.

The pounding of his heart ceased, as his blood ran cold, so frightened, even his heart refused to move.

The corrupt monster let out a low laugh upon seeing the pony in such fear, its sharp, snow white teeth glistening in the moonlight, almost seeming to glow with a deadly intention.

Soul Glow couldn't see a pony, or any creature, just a dark shadow, decorated with soul piercing eyes, and teeth as reflective and sharp as glass. Whatever this creature was, it truly was one of pure evil, serving no other purpose than to cause misery and destruction.

The creature seemed to almost float, gliding towards Soul Glow.

"Please, jest go 'way…" He choked out, backing up, never taking his eyes off of the dark figure.

He could barely speak, fear paralyzing his tongue, only babbled murmurs coming forth.

The creature, face still covered in darkness, dangled itself close to Soul Glow, breathing, an icy mist coming forth.

Upon contact, Soul Glow immediately fell into a strong shiver, the breath chilling him to the bone.

His teeth chattered, the being feeling more like a block of ice rather than a warm and alive pony.

He fell to the dirt floor, his legs shutting down as fear took over even his most basic survival instincts.

His neck tightened, he felt like he was going to cry.

He wasn't sure just what this monster wanted with him, but knew that it was up to no good.

He could barely speak, his words coming out as a stuttering mess.

"G-G-G-Git on outta here!"

The monster only laughed at his terror, its booming voice echoing throughout the trees.

Once its fit of laughter was done, its eyes settled on Soul Glow, glaring at him with a blood red gaze.

This was the end.

Soul Glow let out a shriek of terror, a wail that echoed through the thick forest.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon, the sun beginning to dip down, the sky now an orange color.

Luna sat on the chair next to Soul Glow's bedside, just as she had for the past few hours now.

Her eyes were tired and strained, her hunches were in pain from sitting down for so long, and her back hurt.

Truthfully, she herself had drifted off to sleep on the occasion, but always managed to jolt herself awake.

While staying awake for such a long period of time did keep her from her royal duties of dream management, for Soul Glow, it was worth it.

Besides, it was only the afternoon, most ponies weren't asleep right now.

Only Soul Glow's breathing, followed by an occasional stomach grumble from Luna filled the room.

She really hadn't eaten much in these last few days, especially after she made it her mission to keep an eye on the unicorn.

In fact, she was only able to eat after the Doctor was nice enough to deliver a plate of food to the Princess, which she happily gobbled up.

Whatever spell Twilight had used on Soul Glow was a powerful one indeed, and she really did expect no less from her.

This was, afterall, the pony who managed to defeat both Soul Glow and herself, with the help of her five other friends of course.

From what Celestia had told her, Twilight was her personal pupil, talent comparable to no other pony of her age.

Luna had been away from Equestria for over one thousand years, and thus had never heard of the unicorn until recently. However, even with this limited amount of exposure, Luna could tell that she was somepony special, a real star in even the brightest sky.

Luna knew that great things awaited Twilight Sparkle.

With these thoughts in mind, Luna turned back to a sleeping Soul Glow.

By now, a light afternoon wind had been created, the cool air blowing against her face.

The rising and falling of his chest matched that of the wind, blowing the drapes of the open window, sunlight filling the room.

Luna paused as the gentle winds blew onto Soul Glow, his long mane lightly fluttering in the wind, tickling his face.

She saw him stirring, his breathing becoming a bit more pronounced, as his head began to move.

Her heart almost skipped a beat, this is what she was waiting for.

Hours of waiting were now over, but a new form of anxiety would soon take root in the alicorn.

What should she say?! What should she do?!

His nose twitched, as his whole face scrunched up.

Slowly, Soul Glow rose from his bed, sitting up, as his eyes blinked, getting accustomed to the afternoon light.

His eyes moved through the room, eyeing all the marvels that he saw.

Whatever soreness he had on his body was forgotten about, his mind solely focused on what was before him.

For a pony who had spent most of his life in the Everfree Forest, and in a small farmhouse before that, what could be found in this room in the Canterlot Royal Palace awed him.

He vaguely remembered some of the surviving furniture and riches he saw in The Castle of The Two Sisters. However, what he saw now put all of that to shame.

It was only when his eyes met her's, did Soul Glow notice that he was not alone, stopping in puzzlement.

She looked familiar, but Soul Glow couldn't quite put his hoof on it.

Honestly, he couldn't remember much of anything.

The last memory he had was fighting those six evil ponies, and then it was all gone.

He had no idea where he was, or more importantly, where Nightmare Moon was.

The last time he saw her was with those six ponies. Although he couldn't remember why, he felt as though Nightmare Moon was disappointed in him somehow.

This, combined with his sheer amount of confusion, made him temporarily forget about his recent nightmare. Right now, his mind was only on where Nightmare Moon was, as well as where he was.

While Soul Glow was glancing around the room, Luna mouthed a phrase a few times, as if working up the courage to speak it out loud.

She wasn't sure what she would say, and was all too hesitant to say it. She had to choose her words wisely, there would be no going back from this point on.

Finally, she spoke, in the most gentle tone she could muster.

"Soul Glow?"

His gaze was redirected, away from the sights of the room, and towards her.

For some reason, as soon as her words registered in his ears, he felt a sense of calm.

The soreness of his body faded away, whatever worry and tension he felt was non existent.

He didn't say anything, but still stared.

What struck him harder than her sudden appearance was the way she spoke to him.

The only friendly voice he had ever heard in his life was from Nightmare Moon.

Once he had left the Everfree Forest, it was just the painful words and harsh aggression of the other ponies.

Everypony he met displayed at least some amount of contempt for him, some more than others.

But not this one before him.

This one, her voice was soft and gentle, soothing even.

Whenever she spoke, it gave him a warm feeling, comforting.

"Soul Glow?" She spoke his name again, her smile still bright. "Do you know who I am?"

In truth, Luna really wished Soul Glow did not know who she was, that she was Nightmare Moon.

And it looked like that was the case.

He was still nervous, seeing somepony new.

It seemed as though whenever he encountered a new pony, like those six mares from before, they would only want to hurt him and Nightmare Moon.

Maybe this pony wished to do the same.

"Ah-Ah-Ah…" He choked out.

In truth, it was also his terrible grammar that also caused him to be at a loss of words.

Finally, he managed to whisper

"Ah dunno…"

The alicorn's smile didn't waver at this, instead expanding into a welcoming grin.

"I'm a friend." The alicorn spoke in a comforting tone, taking a small bow to him. "My name is Luna."

It was important the Soul Glow feel welcomed right at the start.

And honestly, Soul Glow wasn't really sure how to react, he really had never experienced this before.

Nightmare Moon was, for most of their history, just a voice in his head, only providing vocal support, not physical.

And those six ponies, they may have used their hooves to welcome him, but it was through punches and kicks rather than bows of respect.

The fact that this pony right now was treating him in such a way really made him at a loss of words.

He eventually found them, deciding that it was only the polite thing to respond back.

"Mah name's Soul Glow…" He started, before remembering that she had already said his name.

He went a little red in the face, rubbing the side of his head in slight embarrassment as he followed with

"But ah reckon ya already know dat."

As he grew less fearful, he began to notice just where he was.

While most ponies would just see it as a lavish and large bedroom, it was something that was all too alien to a pony who's lived in the woods.

He really didn't recognize anything, not knowing the very bed he was laying on from a nightstand.

"Where am ah?" He finally asked.

His voice had a hint of nerve to it, the unfamiliarity of it all.

"Canterlot." She told him, never letting go of that welcoming smile. "You are in the royal palace of Canterlot, a safe and comforting place."

While he didn't recognize the name 'Canterlot', he did recognize the word 'royal'.

It was one of the few words that he knew, more or less.

"Yer a princess?" He asked her in awe.

He didn't know much about them, only that Nightmare Moon was once one, and sought that title once again.

He didn't have the faintest idea of where she was, the whole battle from a few days ago being a blur to him.

All he remembered was his dark powers began to drain away, and then Nightmare Moon stepped into the scene, the rest was all black to the unicorn.

But still, if she was a Princess, then she must be somepony important.

The only other Princesses he had heard of besides Nightmare Moon was Celestia, an evil tyrant, but Luna didn't seem evil to the young stallion.

Perhaps then, Luna may be on the same scale as Nightmare Moon.

Luna picked up on these thoughts, and wished that they would go away.

Luna didn't want Soul Glow to bow to her, to kiss her hooves, or refer to her as 'Princess' or 'Your Highness'.

She didn't want him to think highly of her at all, just as somepony to trust, somepony to grow attachment to.

"Please, just call me Luna." She told him, brushing off her title.

Even her voice sounded familiar, which was very strange.

Luna's voice was soft, warm, and welcoming. The only other voice he would recall was Nightmare Moon's, which was the direct opposite.

Her voice was the only sweet one that he could recall hearing.

Nightmare Moon's voice was full of either hate or contempt, and those other ponies only spoke to him to share harsh words or mean tones, not nice.

Luna was the first welcoming tone that he could recall hearing.

Soul Glow thought about her name, picturing himself saying it in his head.

"W...W-Woona?" He managed to slip out, his whole mouth clenching and twisting.

He didn't speak much at this point, often opting to communicate to Nightmare Moon through his thoughts or a similar method. She spoke through his mind, and he could respond in the same fashion. There was never really a reason to speak.

Besides, his country accent and manner of speaking made talking in words passed two syllables a challenge anyway, at least when he wasn't singing.

But that was a special talent long forgotten, erased by Nightmare Moon.

"Luna." The princess, repeated, her encouraging smile not fading.

She put her face closer to his, as she slowly mouthed the words to him, her lips exaggerated.

"_Luna_." She said slowly, annunciating with precise pronunciation.

Soul Glow swallowed hard, a visible strain on his face, as his lips tightened together.

"L-L-L…"

His face grew red with pressure, seeming as if he would soon explode.

It really was an effort for him to say this new word.

He closed his eyes, trying to imagine how he would say it, his lips moving.

"L-L-Luuuuunaaaaa?" He eventually got out.

Opening his eyes once again, he saw the encouraging face of Luna.

"You have it." She exclaimed, smiling at this achievement.

His grammar would also need to be worked on.

But that was no matter, the Princesses had access to the best quality of all things, including teachers and whatever else Soul Glow may need.

Soul Glow smiled at Luna's words.

It was this warm tone that reminded Soul Glow of Nightmare Moon.

Sure, she could be cold and cruel, and say the most horrible things, but on the inside Soul Glow saw the warmness inside.

Of course, Nightmare Moon was cold and dark, inside and out. She would only provide a warm smile or a compassionate tone to Soul Glow on the occasion, to keep him on her side.

Speaking of her, he hadn't seen her here yet, which must mean that she wasn't currently present.

And that mere fact was enough to make him forget about this new environment, his mind now entirely on Nightmare Moon.

He looked around the room, but could only see the dark pony in front of him, no other creature in sight.

Just the fact that he couldn't see her provided him with stress.

His gaze finally returned to Luna, as he asked

"Where bah Nightmare Moon?"

Now it was Luna's turn to feel uncomfortable, and very uncomfortable at that.

She hadn't exactly planned on how to answer this question, her mind mostly on Soul Glow himself, rather than his questions.

Luna's eyes darted around the room, as if the answer was written somewhere in the room.

"Nightmare Moon is…."

Luna bit at her lip as she thought of how to word this, or even what sort of answer she would give.

If she were to tell him the truth, Celestia knows how he would react.

He might respond with sadness, fall into a deep depression, and slowly slip away from everypony, only being a mere shell of his former self. He was so dependent on Nightmare Moon emotionally, that any upset could have grave effects.

There was also the notion that he may respond with anger, openly lashing out at Luna both verbally and perhaps even physically. He might not even believe her reveal in the first place, considering her as an enemy to Nightmare Moon, and the result would be the same.

It seems that telling him the truth would only cause immediate turmoil and problems, and thus the chance of reforming him would lessen even greater.

While even the thought of doing such a thing pained the Princess greatly, it seemed as though a lie may be the better of the two options.

The fact was Soul Glow was a mess right now, both physically, emotionally, and psychologically.

He was enamored by, and pledged to fight and obey, an absolutely horrid pony, one of the most evil beings Equestria had ever seen.

She was the only connection to friendship, love, and trust that Soul Glow had, even if it was a connection to an evil thing.

But at the same time, if she were to lie right now, imply that Nightmare Moon was still present somewhere, then it would make him happy, and with happiness, a sense of trust between the two could better be made, and thus the healing process, reeducation, everything would be much easier.

He would still have a pony to love and cherish, which would make it easier for Soul Glow to feel the same about other ponies.

While it may be a lie, it was a well intentioned lie, and one which could have a positive outcome.

Luna bit at her lip a second time, as her face turned a light shade of red, sweat beginning to show.

However, since Soul Glow was uneducated in body language, and most things at that, this all flew over his head.

Finally, Luna came to her answer.

"Nightmare Moon is around..." She told him, her voice wavering as she spoke. "Where she is right now, I do not know. However, I can confirm that she is…..around?"

Luna felt a heavy blush creep along her neck upon uttering those words.

Her stomach felt heavy, and her heart followed, she had just lied to Soul Glow.

And not just any lie, but a lie that gave him false hope.

However, Luna really couldn't see a better option, at least not in the heat of the moment.

With this message now in his mind, Soul Glow's ears perked, looking around the room as if he heard something.

The unicorn raised his head to the ceiling, gazing at it as if he saw somepony.

"What is it, Soul Glow?" Luna asked him.

She was a little worried by this behavior. Afterall, his actions and reactions would be entirely unpredictable.

"Ah can't hear har." Soul Glow muttered, referring to Nightmare Moon.

A second of silence filled the room.

"Nightmare Moon?" He called out to the empty room, receiving no response.

He turned back to Luna, explaining

"Usually, she talks back tah muh."

But she didn't speak back, Soul Glow heard nothing, he was alone in this strange new world.

With that note taken, Soul Glow's ears hung low in sadness, as his tail and head followed.

Ever since he had met her, she had always whispered words into his mind, often many times a day, as if she were in the very room as him.

To Soul Glow, he saw this as an act of friendship, having somepony to talk to, to ask questions, and pass the time with.

Of course, Nightmare Moon just saw it as what it really was, just simple manipulation, whispering words of lies into his head, filling his mind with rage and darkness.

To him, not having a voice in his head was as maddening as having one was to other ponies.

And the fact that Soul Glow was now sad only made Luna sad.

She knew that he was talking to nopony, that she didn't exist anymore and his hopes of seeing her again were completely useless.

And this was all because of her.

"Maybe she's really busy right now." Luna pondered, hoping this would shake him out.

However, Soul Glow's head did not waver, as he continued to stare at the ground.

He had waited many years to see her. Now that he had the chance, she had disappeared again, slipped away.

Was Nightmare Moon just really busy as Luna told him? Or was she really gone?

No, impossible. Nightmare Moon was too righteous, too powerful to just leave like that. She was still around, and she would come back for Soul Glow, he just knew it.

But still, the silence still upset him, it was still just as bad, and he was still just as alone right now.

The princess took a heavy sigh, Soul Glow's feelings almost seeming to mingle with her own.

She didn't want to stay here, to be witnessing Soul Glow sit in sullen.

"Come, Soul Glow." Luna broke the silence. "Let me show you around the castle."

Luna had planned to show Soul Glow around the castle, and this would take his mind off of Nightmare Moon.

Soul Glow took a depressed sigh, but felt as though he should leave this room.

He couldn't do anything just sitting in one area, afterall.

And besides, the more he moved, the more of a chance he had to cross paths with Nightmare Moon again.

Slowly, he got out of bed, his knees wobbling slightly, still sore from the events just a few days ago.

This was the first time he had stepped out of his room.

The two of them were now in a hallway, decorated with wall sconces, banners, potted plants, and other forms of decorations.

He spotted a nearby crystal table, glistening, not a spot of dirt on it.

But what really caught his eye were the many ponies, backs against the wall, as they stood in place.

They were very large and bulky ponies, decorated in glistening shining armor.

They were built, and solid, seemingly frozen in place, unblinking and without emotion.

As he continued to move about the hallway with Luna, he could feel their eyes on him everywhere.

But it wasn't just a glance or two, but a solid and unwavering stare, focused on him.

Soul Glow felt as if they wanted to hurt him.

To be frank, it kind of scared him.

Soul Glow looked to Luna, as if she could protect him from their gaze.

Although he didn't really trust her yet, she was the only pony that Soul Glow had any sense of familiarity with.

The way she looked, so familiar, is what drew him to her, that sense of familiarity, it really made all the difference.

Soul Glow hid behind Luna, blocking the gazes of the guards with her body, nervous and slightly scared.

"W-why 're day lookin' at muh like dat?" He whispered to her, not daring to look at the guards directly.

In truth, the guards wished not to hurt the unicorn, only to keep an eye on him.

The two Princesses made it very clear upon his arrival that while he did side with Nightmare Moon, he shall be treated as a guest, not a prisoner or anypony dangerous.

Even still, the royal guards always saw it safe to be cautious, especially towards the royal sisters.

"It's alright, guards." Luna spoke boldly to the ponies. "From this point forth, Soul Glow is our guest, and shall be treated as such."

Upon her words, the guards relaxed considerably, but still stood at attention, not letting anything get past them.

Afterall, they had been trained for many years to fight and protect the lives of their dear princesses.

This oath was so strong that they were even willing to forgive and forget the past misdoings of Luna, and took her word, as well as Celestia's, as law.

If this unwashed and mangey unicorn who once fought against Equestria was now a guest, the guards took these words to heart.

Their gaze was relaxed on him, their intimidating glare replaced with a neutral glance or two.

She noticed that Soul Glow seemed to relax a little more as well, his steps being less rigid and forced.

That was good.

To Luna, it was important that Soul Glow feel safe, for it would only be through this that he could experience real friendship.

And it was only through this could he feel more trusting in Luna. It would then be that she would reveal all to him, he just had to be ready to hear it.

"My bedroom is down that hall." Luna told him, pointing at the door with her hoof. "If you need anything at all, just let me know. You may come in at anytime."

Luna really did hope that he would take advantage of this, to seek her out for advice and guidance.

Anything, anyway that would make Soul Glow trust Luna, she would do, even if that meant revealing where she slept at night.

Not that Soul Glow would do anything, anyway. Luna still had faint, distant memories of Soul Glow before he pledged himself to Nightmare Moon. He was a sweet little colt.

"Just beyond those stairs is the ballroom." Luna also told him. "Usually it's locked, but soon it shall be used for the coming Grand Galloping Gala."

Soul Glow had no idea what that was, this was the first he had heard of such a thing.

But the way it sounded, how each word began with a 'G', it was almost like a rhyme, it interested him.

"Whah is dat?" He asked her.

Luna beamed at the chance to provide for Soul Glow, even if it was just an answer to a question.

"It's like a party for the most regal and important ponies of Equestria." Luna explained. "Guests come to eat, converse, make connections, and dance."

Luna then came to a thought.

The Grand Galloping Gala would be a marvelous place for Soul Glow to converse with other ponies, make new friends, and work on his speaking skills and knowledge of Equestria.

It really could be a good time for Soul Glow.

And who knows, maybe after making so many friends, Nightmare Moon would just be an afterthought to him, before she faded away from his mind.

As long as Luna was with him, she would ensure that Soul Glow would have a happy time.

It might work.

The two continued to walk, Luna feeling better about herself and Soul Glow.

The more she spent time with him, the more she felt as though a connection of trust could be built, and that really was everything to her.

The rumbling of his stomach broke the silence of the hallway.

Of course, Soul Glow hadn't eaten a proper meal in Celestia knows how long.

Even before Luna had found him, he still lived on a basic sustenance, rarely eating more than what was needed.

It was very possible that Soul Glow had never experienced the simple pleasures such as chocolate.

And the dining hall in Canterlot had that to offer and much more!

Some of the best cooks in Equestria lived in the palace, a perfect mix for Soul Glow!

A hot and filling meal can do wonders for a pony's attitude and state of mind.

"Are you hungry, Soul Glow?" The princess asked him.

Soul Glow thought about this, the rumbling of his stomach also getting to him.

While the stallion's bruises and wounds had mostly healed, he still had his frail and brittle body.

He was a tall pony, and thus needed proper nourishment in order to support that, which he never really had.

Years of living on a poor farm, and even more years of living in a forest had really limited him, he had never had a proper meal, and thus had never been allowed to develop his body properly.

Even now, just through this simple tour alone, he could already feel himself slightly winded, his calves already hurting, he really was in bad shape.

He hadn't eaten since he fought with those six ponies, and he couldn't even remember that.

"If ya 'ave any leaves 'r sticks 'r somethin', dat would bah nice."

Really, that was all he lived on for those many years in The Everfree Forest, those and the occasional mushroom if he could find it.

Give him a bush, and he could survive for at least a week.

He really thought there was no other food out there, that was all he could remember.

Things such as a filling, hot soup or a sweet and juicy fruit were unknown to him.

It had been many years since Luna had tasted food prepared by a royal chef, but remembered that it was just as tasty as one could imagine.

She smiled at the stallion, as she stated

"We have much more than that, I can assure you."

Luna already knew what Soul Glow would likely be eating.

Just as Celestia had stated the day before, fresh pancakes made from the raiser of the sun herself. They really were her signature dish.

The two ponies entered the dining room.

It was a large and spacious room, just like every other room in the castle.

Large drapes decorated the castle walls, as open air windows decorated the walls, revealing the grand city below.

In the center was a very large dining table, large and regal chairs at its sides.

Four other ponies were also present.

Two royal chefs were on standby, followed by the Doctor, and Princess Celestia herself.

Luna had already made plans with her sister on meeting her here, bringing Soul Glow along.

Luna was a bit nervous, remembering how she had slandered her sister to Soul Glow for years.

She wasn't really sure if Soul Glow would recognize Celestia, and what he would do.

Thankfully though, he seemed to give her as much thought as he did the two chef ponies, only casting them a glance, before continuing to observe the room, overcome by all he saw.

Soul Glow followed as Luna guided him towards the table.

Luna pointed at one of the chairs with her hoof.

"Please, take a seat, Soul Glow." She requested from him.

However, Soul Glow stared on at what Luna was pointing at, blank faced.

To him, this was just another modern marvel of the castle.

He had never sat down in such a chair before, chairs didn't exist in the wild.

Soul Glow cast a glance towards Luna, a brow raised on confusion.

Taking note of this, Luna nodded towards the two royal chefs.

Picking up on their silent gesture, one pony pulled out the chair, motioning for Soul Glow to sit down, while the other moved in from behind.

They were going to get him in that chair either way, by order of the Princess.

While Soul Glow was struggling to sit in the chair properly, the two princesses used this time to talk amongst themselves.

"So, how did he take the news?" Celestia whispered to her sister, the both of them flashing smiles towards Soul Glow as they talked.

Luna couldn't help but feel a wave of anxiety upon this question.

The Princess of the Night knew just what news Celestia was referring to, the news of Nightmare Moon, and what follows that.

Luna knew that her sister could not wait but to her the gossip, and that there would be no dodging the question. She needed an answer now.

Luna hadn't yet come to the conclusion of is she regretted that lie or not, but it was too late now.

Soul Glow thought that Nightmare Moon was still around, and she had to tell her sister.

For the second time in the last hour, Luna felt that wave of anxiety and fear flood over her again, similar to how she felt when answering Soul Glow's question.

"Well...you see, sister…."

She could feel the beads of sweat begin to form on her face, as it turned a tint of red.

Luna clenched her teeth together as she tried to form words, a way to explain herself.

Even if they were apart for many years, Celestia still knew that face well.

She could read it like a book, and read that all was not well in Luna's mind, something had happened.

"What is it?" She asked Luna, a bit annoyed by what the answer may be.

Luna had only been back in Celestia's company for less than two days now, and even still found a way to annoy her.

Sibling dynamics even run in royal families.

"I sort of, and don't be mad at me, I had a very good reason in mind for it!" Luna quickly told her sister, following up with "I sort of...lied to him."

Celestia blinked once, herself still taking in this response.

Her mouth was open, her eyes narrowed in puzzlement, she really did not expect that sort of an answer.

She thought that maybe Soul Glow was simply mad at Luna, but for her to actually lie?

"Lied how?" Celestia asked in a flat tone.

Luna bit her lip, as she let out a sheepish smile.

"Lied, as in, I told him that Nightmare Moon may still be around, and that I am unrelated to her…"

Upon hearing this being uttered, Celestia's neutral face dropped into a mix of shock and disappointment, with a hint of irritation.

"Is it that bad?" Luna asked sheepishly, rubbing at a shoulder anxiously.

Celestia rubbed a hoof through her mane, as she tried to comprehend the actions of her sister.  
"I know that you've been away on the moon for a thousand years, and friendship is something that you're rusty in..." Celestia camly stated, before her voice took on more of an edge. "But how could you think lying to him was a good idea?"

Luna held up a hoof in defense, as she said

"I have the full intention of telling him the truth later, but right now, I believe that a well placed lie is better than the cold truth."

The Princess of the Sun paused, slightly confused by this statement.

"Please explain." Celestia requested, her voice slightly stern.

She really wasn't expecting to deal with this, and really didn't wish to.

Luna thought for a moment, deciding just what to say, and the best way to say it.

After playing with a few lines in her mind, she finally decided what to tell her sister.

"Soul Glow has lived a very isolated life, not knowing anypony else, secluded from the rest of the world. He hasn't formed a connection with anything, nor anypony...except for one."

Celestia raised a brow at this, but let her sister continue.

"For most of his life, and all of what he can remember, it was only Nightmare Moon. He seems to have forgotten about her betrayal and still holds great loyalty and love for her."

Honestly, Luna thought that the whole situation would be easier if Soul Glow had just forgotten about Nightmare Moon, or simply just come to hate her.

But he didn't, he still loved her, and there was no getting around that.

"As far as I'm concerned, it seems as though Nightmare Moon is the only connection Soul Glow has to the magic of friendship." Luna informed her sister. "She is the only memory he has that fills him with love, even if it is a manufactured love."

Luna took a light sigh, as if trying to expel her worry and anxiety of this situation.

"If I were to tell him now that Nightmare Moon was gone, or the truth about who I was, I fear he would lose what little love he has left."

Luna's face turned into a pout, self hatred for what she had done to him.

"It would be awful if I were to tear the last connection to love that he has left."

Celestia closed her eyes, exhaling lightly, taking it all in.

She really didn't know just how to respond to her little sister's confession.

"I understand your reasoning... " She let out a sigh. "As much as I disagree with it."

She wished that her sister hadn't done that.

Celestia was an older pony, and knew that a relationship built on a lie would be doomed to fail.

However, even if Celestia was more vocal in her protests, the damage was already done, the lie had already been told.

All she could do now would be to hope and pray for the best, that a healthy relationship could blossom from this crack in the foundation.

"However, you know him better than anypony here, and I do trust you-"

"Thank you, dear sister!" Luna beamed, throwing herself at her sister in a massive embrace.

She feared what her sister would respond with, and this only threw a great weight off of her.

"And you have my word that I will tell him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth when he is ready."

She gave her sister a quick squeeze, declaring

"When it's all well and done, I swear Soul Glow will be the bright and happy pony that he was before."

Celestia sighed to herself, wondering just where this would lead the two sisters.

As if to forget about this situation, Celestia shook her head, before turning back to Soul Glow, who was now sitting at the table.

Although most of the silverware and plates had been knocked on the floor as a result of their struggle, the two chef ponies had successfully placed the stallion in the chair.

Now it was time for him to eat.

"Here you are, Soul Glow!" Princess Celestia beamed at him, trying to warm up the room with her smile. "I made you pancakes!"

With the magic of her horn, Celestia levitated a plate of pancakes in front of him, resting them on the table.

He stared at them quizzically.

After years of eating plants and fallen leaves, something so light and fluffy seemed alien to him.

To him, they looked like the many lily pads he had seen around the Everfree Forest, only these were brown, and much larger and thicker.

There were four of them stacked on top of each other, drizzled in some kind of sticky golden sauce. Fruit decorated the top pancake, arranged in the shape of a face, smiling at Soul Glow. Some kind of white foam had been used as mock hair, whip cream.

Celestia loved making these pancakes, especially creating the faces. She always thought they were so cute after completion.

Pancakes in the afternoon might be something unusual, but this counted as Soul Glow's first meal of the day, breakfast, and Celestia thought that nothing was better than hot and fluffy pancakes after a long sleep.

While the food was all too well known to her, Soul Glow had never heard of them.

"Pan...cakes?" He tried to form the words, them being all too new to him. "Are dey made outta pans?"

He remembered pans, that was something you used to cook something, although he had never used one himself.

They were really just a memory to him, almost fantasy, a myth.

"They are made in a pan." Luna corrected him, her smile never fading. "They're sweet and delicious, especially how my sister makes them."

Soul Glow put his face close to the food, taking a whiff of the meal.

They smelled sweet, like a fruit, only stronger.

They did feel warm against his face, and warmth was something that was hard to come by in the cold and damp Everfree Forest.

It even smelled warm, and all the colors really made the whole meal look even better.

Soul Glow, a bit eager to try this new and hot food, put his face to plate, not bothering with silverware.

He took a large bit, at it, syrup dripping down his chin.

Immediately, his face turned a sickly green, as his eyes and cheeks bulged out in surprise.

He couldn't hold in the food, spitting it back out with force, leaving a mess on the table.

"Whah is dis!" He cried out, panting heavily. "It doan taste sweet at all!"

Soul Glow stuck out his tongue, scraping off any remaining food with his hooves.

Now both sisters had done wrong by him.

As Soul Glow was still suffering, Luna turned to her sister, asking

"What did you put in those, Celestia?"

Celestia was shocked by the whole situation as well, her mouth open in thought.

"Nothing unusual…" Celestia answered, putting a hoof to her chin as she thought. "Just pancake batter, sugar, syrup, strawberries, whip cream. You know how I've always made them."

The two Princesses then turned to the Doctor, who was also in deep thought.

"It's his digestion." She came to the conclusion, rubbing a hoof through her mane. "I can't believe I didn't realize this sooner…"

The Doctor turned to the two Princesses, telling them

"Since he was living in The Everfree Forest for most of his life, he has never been introduced to processed, sugary foods."

"Are you saying my recipe is processed?" Celestia demanded, taking a slight offense to this.

The princess really did pour her heart and soul into the batter, only using the freshest of ingredients.

"It was mostly the sugar." The Doctor told the Princess. "Your recipe calls for syrup, whip cream, and several toppings, all adding onto an already high amount of it."

The Doctor thought a bit more, before following with

"He had most likely never had such a high amount of sugar at once. His body couldn't handle it, thus it was rejected."

"Note taken." Luna told the Doctor. "Don't give him anything sugary, only natural."

Luna's eyes then fell to the dining room table, scanning over for any food that would fit this criteria.

She finally stopped as her eyes met with long and green vegetables, sitting on a plate.

Although she had planned on eating it herself, she felt as though Soul Glow should have it.

Using her magic, she levitated the plate in front of Soul Glow, himself staring at it with a raised brow.

"Celery." She told him, providing a name to the object.

Soul Glow took a cautious nibble, the memories of the pancakes still fresh.

He swallowed, his face not growing green, nor himself gagging.

He took another nibble, it following the same course.

Once it was confirmed that the food was safe, he immediately threw the green into his mouth, reaching for the next, taking no time to taste or chew.

He was hungry, and the chef ponies could barely keep up with it, plates of food being eaten as quickly as they were brought.

"Luna, I'm so sorry." Celestia apologized to her sister as Soul Glow ate. "If had known, I would've never had given him those."

"It's alright, Tia." She comforted her sister, calling her by her childhood nickname. "None of us knew, how could we have?"

"This is a unique situation." The Doctor added. "A pony raised in the woods by dark magical powers. He is unaware of how to even sit down properly, and has a very sensitive stomach."

These words didn't help the concerns of the two sisters, in fact, it only made them worse.

Picking up on this, the Doctor rubbed at her mane, as she stated

"Uh...but I believe that with proper love and support, he can recover."

The Doctor had worked with many foals and their parents, and although Soul Glow was not a foal, and Luna was not a parent, she could see connections.

An unwavering concern no matter the situation, all too eager to share things such as food, even if it were meant for you, these were all the signs that the Doctor had read.

Luna really did care for Soul Glow, that much was apparent, and she would do everything in her power to make him feel at home, welcome, loved, and safe.

And as long as Luna continued this, everything would be alright.

"Anything is recoverable." The Doctor confidentiality informed the Princess. "Anything."

With this in mind, Luna turned towards Soul Glow, himself having already devoured the plate of celery.

"Bring him more celery." Princess Luna requested from the royal chefs. "I want him to eat till his heart's content, even if the kitchen runs out."

With this order, the two chefs went to the kitchen, seeking more out.

Until the sisters and the royal chefs could decide on which foods would be best for Soul Glow, celery and other single ingredient foods would have to do.

In quick time, the two ponies returned, carrying plates of celery, only the largest and most healthy for him.

Soul Glow practically drooled upon seeing such food, Luna smiling ear to ear as she saw him happy.

* * *

A few hours later, and most of the table was taken up with empty plates, once bearing large amounts of celery, and when that ran out, other simple vegetables.

Through trial and error, they discovered what worked for him.

While easy foods such as lettuce, celery, and cabbage worked for him, things like pineapples and most fruits did not go down well.

Once his feast was over, and his stomach heavy for the first time in a long time, Soul Glow let out a loud yawn, showing early signs of a sleep coma.

He had only been out of bed for a few hours, perhaps five at most, and already he looked exhausted.

He was still weak, still drained, and needed to go back to bed.

Soul Glow waking up in the afternoon ensured that his first day would be short.

Luna didn't mind, however.

She was well aware that during these early stages, Soul Glow would need ample time to rest and recover, to gain his strength back after what that dark magic did to him.

Essentially, it drained him of all of his strength and power, using it to feed itself and give Soul Glow the power that he once had. But the magic had drained him completely, he was exhausted no matter what he did.

What Soul Glow really needed right now was to go back to bed, get some rest, and let his sore body heal.

Truth be told, celery and lettuce wasn't exactly the most nutritious of foods either, and Soul Glow's body still demanded a proper diet, and they couldn't be sure just what food would agree with him.

The royal chefs and the doctor would need to come together, to decide just which food would be appropriate for Soul Glow.

It would take more than carrots and cabbage to fill in his body.

However, that would have to come at another time, for it was time for Soul Glow to return to bed.

Luna poked Soul Glow gently from behind, getting his attention.

He turned to her, a sleepy glaze to his eyes, a few specs of food around his mouth.

She couldn't help but think it was a little cute, almost like a child.

She smiled at that thought, thinking it was a bit ridiculous.

In actuality, Soul Glow was a full grown stallion, perhaps being a few years older than Twilight and her friends.

However, he still had that certain amount of cluelessness, the innocence of a child, despite what his past may be.

"Come, Soul Glow." Luna requested from him as he staved off another yawn. "It is time for you to go back to sleep."

He didn't argue with her.

There were many rules and customs that were unknown to Soul Glow. However, he understood what sleep was. He felt the heavy tiredness creep over him like a blanket. He had a full belly, sore hooves, and heavy eyes. He felt as though he could lie down and sleep forever, maybe even longer.

As per normal, Soul Glow walked alongside Luna, following her with two left hooves, sleep calling to him.

As they left the dining room, Luna noticed that Soul Glow kept bumping into her, himself barely able to move his hooves without letting out a heavy yawn or two.

After a few more bumps, Soul Glow felt an even heavier weight onto him, his hooves dragging against the carpet.

With squinted eyes, and a mouth wide open in a yawn, he wearily slung an arm around the Princess, effectively using her as support.

Luna couldn't help but hide her smile, herself overcome with this emotion.

Even if he may be extremely tired, she was flattered that he used her in this manner, it really made her feel as if she was the most important pony in Equestria to him.

In truth, Soul Glow had yet made any connection with anypony, and thus through this limited interaction, Luna was indeed the most important pony to him, besides Nightmare Moon. Even this importance he had for Luna, it really didn't amount to much, just a simple familiarity for being around her so much.

If Luna truly wished to form a strong and healthy bond with Soul Glow, she must do more.

Soul Glow's eyes began to flutter, feeling more like heavy gates than eyelids.

He felt it a struggle to keep his eyes open. That is, until they crossed paths with a particularly strong light, flashing in his eyes.

He blinked, confused, and a bit surprised by this sudden glow of light.

It was much brighter, and larger than any of the light from a wall sconce.

Soul Glow squinted as his eyes fell on the window, his eyes cast towards the moon.

He stared at the large, milky white orb like a puppy, eyes wide in deep thought.

He was fixated on the moon, gazing at it in awe. It had been his first time seeing the moon since then.

His eyes widened in realization as he noticed something.

The Mare in The Moon was no longer there.

It was then that he was reminded, Nightmare Moon was around, having left the moon, and somewhere in Equestria.

And he wasn't there with her.

Snapping out of his gaze, he began to head towards the opposite side of the hallway, away from his bedroom.

"Where are you going, Soul Glow." Luna questioned him, an eyebrow raised.

"Back tah da forest." Soul Glow casually answered her, still moving away from her. "Nightmare Moon is probably wonderin' where ah'm at. She loves muh."

Luna frowned upon hearing this.

How could he still love Nightmare Moon after what she did to him?

Perhaps it was such a traumatic and shakening event for the young colt that he simply forgot about it, his mind not allowing him to remember such an event.

It would make sense, afterall.

Who would want to remember being betrayed and attacked by somepony who meant so much to you?

It was worse than Luna thought. Not only was Soul Glow still loyal and loving towards her, but he even forgot that she was the one who attacked him.

Luna bit at her lip, unsure of where to go from here.

She had already told the lie of herself not being Nightmare Moon, and that she was still possibly around somewhere.

Nightmare Moon was really the only pony that he loved at the moment, and thought it cruel if she were to strip that emotion away by revealing the truth.

If his love were gone, then he truly wouldn't have any hope of recovering, to move past what happened.

In due time she would tell him all, but she just had to wait for the right moment.

And right now was not the right moment.

Although he didn't stutter or seem nervous around her anymore, she could still tell that that bridge of trust had not yet been established yet.

"It's dangerous." Luna warned the stallion, forgetting her previous thoughts. "The Everfree Forest is crawling with monsters and wild animals."

Soul Glow didn't lose stride, responding with

"Ah doan care 'bout mah, as long as Nightmare Moon bah 'appy."

Luna didn't know if she should smile or cry at this statement.

Soul Glow had so much potential for love. He was willing to put himself into danger, risk life and limb, all to try and find his friend, Nightmare Moon.

A big heart, only directed at the wrong thing.

If only he could share his love and loyalty to all of Equestria, it really would make an impact. Not just anypony would be willing to do what he wished to do now.

There was still hope for Soul Glow after all.

However, it was still a dangerous task, one that a tired and physically weak Soul Glow could never complete.

Luna would not bend on this, even if she greatly respected Soul Glow's loyalty.

"I heard that Nightmare Moon is a creature of the night." She told Soul Glow, trying to smooth talk him. "She may just visit you in your dreams…"

However, just like her, he would not budge on this.

"Nah, ah wanna see har in dah flesh, hug har." He told her, hugging himself as an example. "Ah can't dah dat inna dream."

Luna let out a heavy sigh at this.

She knew that Soul Glow's mind was made up, and there could be no convincing him.

Having already ruled out physically forcing Soul Glow in anyway, this left her with only one real option.

Luna walked up to Soul Glow, himself staring up at her with yet another confused look. He had flashed many of these today.

He wasn't sure what she was going to do, but based on her behavior, he decided that she wasn't going to harm him.

He wasn't yet willing to trust her, but could tell that she was at least friendly.

He knew that she wouldn't attack him or anything, she wasn't like those six ponies from before.

He continued to stare up at her, watching Luna with great interest.

She kept a friendly face, smiling lightly at him as her horn let out a faint blue glow, Luna's own version of a sleep spell.

She lowered her face, their eyes meeting at the same level.

Her smile didn't fade or falter, her warm expression distracting Soul Glow from her work.

Without a sound, Luna's spell flowed out from her horn, making contact with Soul Glow's.

He didn't feel a thing, completely unaware as his horn shone with the same light blue glow, the spell flowing into him.

Immediately, Soul Glow's eyes closed shut, himself losing his footing, as she slipped to the floor.

Luna caught him in her hooves, embracing his light and delicate frame.

"Shhhh." Luna whispered in his ear, making a comforting smile, even if he couldn't see it. "Sleep now, little one."

Although Luna rarely used sleep spells, she could think of no better solution.

As far as Luna saw it, there were only four paths from that situation.

If she simply let Soul Glow go out, then he may be seriously hurt in the Everfree Forest. Even if he did make it back to the castle, he would discover it empty, no Nightmare Moon in sight.

If Luna told Soul Glow about Nightmare Moon's fate, then her lie would be exposed before she had time to gain the trust and love of the unicorn. She would be seen as a liar by him, never to be trusted, and thus his connection with anypony would be severed, and he would draw into himself.

If she tried to forcefully put him in his room, which she was able to do so, then the same result would come. Soul Glow would hate, and never trust, Luna again, and draw back into himself.

This sleep spell was the only avenue, the only option that would lead to a favorable conclusion.

As Luna began to carry the sleeping Soul Glow back to his bedroom, she began to think of just how to treat him tonight.

As soon as Soul Glow was put in bed, she would conjure up a marvelous dream for him, one that would instill a sense of love and welcome.

Perhaps all of Equestria showing up to greet him? Or maybe even a dream of family and love?

It didn't matter, any sort of positive emotions she could create for the colt would make all the difference.

Luna had her hooves quite full tonight.

Not only must she manage the dreams of everypony in Equestria, create a special dream of Soul Glow, but also figure out just how to solve this whole problem.

Soul Glow still believed that Nightmare Moon was around, and still remained loyal to her. His heart was big and full of love, but misdirected towards somepony evil.

He loved a snake, one that would not think twice about striking him.

But now, nopony wanted to strike him, only to love him, to ensure that his recovery goes smoothly, and that he learns of the magic of friendship, and all it has to offer.

This would be Luna's main goal now.

Her own issues did not matter, she would forget and put aside her self regret at her own actions, and focus solely on Soul Glow. To her, he was all that mattered right now.


	8. Resistance and Reeducation

**Author's Note: This one took a bit longer than expected, and I also had to split the chapter. It was that long! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new chapter and have a Merry Christmas!**

**As always, edited by the amazing Misseljebel.**

* * *

Soul Glow was shaking. His head swaying this way and back, as sweat dripped down his face, his mane standing up at all ends.

For a lack of better words, Soul Glow was scared beyond belief, from just his mere location.

Although he didn't know quite where he was, he knew exactly where he was.

This was the same place, the same dark forest from before.

It all looked the same.

It was the same scene, and the same emotions.

The feeling of dread that once crept over him returned, his leg tensing, his whole body clenching, as if just waiting for somecreature to leap from the darkness, and attack him.

His ears lowered as he bit his lip, anxiety welling up inside of him as the face of the dark monster from before flashed through his mind.

Even if they were from a day ago, they were still fresh in his mind. The shining, sharp teeth, the burning red eyes, hungry for Celestia knows what.

He heard a snap in the distance, almost like the sound of a breaking twig.

Somepony was nearby.

Soul Glow's face turned a pale white, as his eyes darted around the dark forest like a frightened rabbit.

"Who-who-who's dar?" He called out to the darkness, receiving no answer.

While he received no vocal response, he did catch the glance of something in the darkness.

Two piercing blue eyes burned through the darkness, as he saw the smile flash a gleaming set of pearly white teeth, sharp and dangerous. They were just staring at him, unmoving, unblinking, glued to him.

His worst fears were now confirmed.

He backed away, the fear already getting the better of him.

Without any dark magic or Nightmare Moon around, he felt completely useless and vulnerable.

Overcome by this sense of helplessness, he couldn't even mutter proper words, instead letting out a stuttering mess.

"N-n-n-no…." He moaned out, heart beating swiftly as he slowly backed away. "Not 'gain…"

The memories of his last dream seemed to rekindle, as he became fully aware of just what was in front of him.

It was that same phantom, the same dark shadow he had encountered last night.

Even without getting a clear look at whatever monster lay in the darkness, it was still enough to send Soul Glow into a great shiver, and that's just what he did now.

Crumpling to the floor, he buried his head within his tangled mane, blocking the mere sight of the darkness.

"Why do you cower, my little pony?" He heard from the shadows.

It was strange, that voice, it seemed so familiar to the young colt.

It was a voice that he could recount for most of his life, but yet could still not identify the origin.

It was disembodied, seemingly ridden off of the wind rather than come from a pony's mouth.

It was cold, a bit icy even, and left a chill down Soul Glow's spine, as his hair began to stand on end.

It was then that he understood the owner of that voice.

There was only one pony that he knew, one pony that could sound both entirely calm, and yet burning with a malicious rage all at the same time.

He didn't know whether to jump in joy, or remain in his panicked state.

He hesitantly removed his head from his mane, still slightly shaking.

"I'm just somepony you know." He heard her say.

Her voice dripped with the same venom as before, chilling him to the bone, as a shiver crept up his spine.

Her piercing blue eyes tore through whatever darkness the night had to offer.

Even if he had blocked that horrible event from his mind, he still had a fuzzy remembrance of the eyes, yes it was her eyes!

Whatever coldness that her icy breath created had long since thawed, her gaze alone burned a hole through Soul Glow, and anything thirty miles behind him.

But her gaze wasn't burning anything thirty miles behind Soul Glow. No, it was solely focused on him.

And he didn't know what she wanted of him.

"N-N-Nightmare Moon…" He began to stutter, his constant shaking only growing more pronounced. "Ah...ah...ah…"

He began wheezing, taking quick and laborious breaths, as sweat dripped down his fur.

He tried to speak, but couldn't. His throated tightened

The last time they had spoken, well, Soul Glow didn't remember much at all.

All that he remembered was himself facing off against the six ponies, then Nightmare Moon came, and then…

He wasn't sure, and that was the part that killed him.

He didn't know if she was angry with him or not, if she harbored ill will towards the young colt or wished him well.

Even if Soul Glow saw her as a sweet and kind being, she still could have an explosive personality. He had to hear the brunt of it while she was still on the moon, and even during that time in the cave. Sometimes she wasn't even angry with him, but just needed somepony to let off steam, and Soul Glow was of course happy to oblige her. If it made her happy, then he could brace most of the pain that she would occasionally give him.

She slowly began to move towards him, herself slowly emerging from the darkness.

As her face became more apparent, Soul Glow saw not the face of Nightmare Moon, but the face of Luna!

Whatever soft and compassionate smile she had normally bore was replaced with a sadistic smirk, her eyes lit up with fire and energy.

It was as if the face of Nightmare Moon was taken off, replaced by Luna's, still containing whatever rage and sadistic emotions that she used to have.

What surprised Soul Glow was that it seemed to fit surprisingly well, almost as if they were one of the same pony. The skin tone was identical, and even the facial structure matched that of Nightmare Moon's exactly.

"Oh, Soul Glow. Didn't I teach you better?" She asked him, her voice full of fake anguish as she shook her head. "I taught you that all who oppose me are your enemy, and here you are, sleeping underneath the same roof as them."

She sounded just like Nightmare Moon, but her face was that of Luna's!

It was a mix, a mix of two sides. It might bear the face of love and warmth, but only expressed anger, pain, and the coldness of evil.

She raised an eye at Soul Glow, as if judging him, as she muttered

"How disgusting of you…"

Her watchful face turned into a tooth grin as she let out a harsh chuckle, throwing her head back.

"Although, I should expect nothing less of you, than to be disgusting." She spat at him, her laugh filled smirk replaced with a tooth grinding frown. "You always were the disgusting one. Not just in hygiene, but in other standards as well."

As if by a drop of a hat, her emotions changed, back to a toothy smirk as she cocked her head at him, declaring

"But don't just take my word for it, hear it from the horse's mouth itself."

She turned her head behind her, as if somepony was there.

"Afterall, who better to tell you about your failures than yourself?"

Nightmare Moon then stood to the side, revealing a pony behind her.

The unicorn colt couldn't believe his eyes, even when he rubbed them thoroughly with his hooves.

It was him, Soul Glow, but there was something different about him.

He seemed to follow a similar pattern to the dark pony, evil seeming to swirl around his very presence, purple and black fog wrapped around him, his eyes burning with the heat of pure rage and ill intentions.

His smile gleamed with yellowed, unkempt teeth, as he muttered

"Ello dar…"

His voice, even if it contained the same accent as Soul Glow's, was laced with pure evil, reminiscent of how he used to be. Every breath he seemed to exhale, a ghostly mist blew out, sending shivers through the very air.

He was taken aback by this, to face just how he behaved, how he looked through his own eyes.

Soul Glow saw what the six ponies from before saw in him, and he didn't like it.

At this point, Soul Glow didn't even back away, or attempt to run for his life. This whole situation, it was too confusing for him, too much was happening all at once for him to create a proper response.

Whatever life threatening fears he felt were washed away, and replaced instead with a bitter nervousness, almost like a first time visit to the doctor.

He couldn't run, couldn't scream, but could only ask

"W-W-Why dah we look so much alike?"

There couldn't be two Soul Glows at once, could there?

He knew that he didn't know much, but was pretty sure that there could only be one version of a pony.

Whatever reason, his copy just scoffed at Soul Glow's question, before flashing him a condescending smirk.

"We might look alike, but dat's where dah similarities end." He then raised his horn at Soul Glow, it glowing with evil magic. "We hafta fight cause ah want ya gone. Yer jest a scared lil' colt, a weakling!"

Soul Glow threw the dark pony in front of him a confused glance, fear also present on his face.

He knew now that he was weak, at least compared to those six ponies from before. However, he knew that as long as Nightmare Moon was at his side, he had nothing to fear. And her she was right now, in front of him, even if her face had changed.

"C'mon, ya know whah ah'm takin' 'bout." The evil Soul Glow spouted at him, casting him an insulting smile. "Yer scared dat ya bah all alone 'again. Ah hate tah tell ya, buh not even Nightmare Moon likes ya anymore!"

Upon hearing this, Soul Glow's fearful face was replaced by a deep growl, his teeth clenching together in malice.

He had been waiting for Nightmare Moon's return for too long, and he wasn't going to let anypony tell him that she didn't like him anymore.

Nightmare Moon loved him! Soul Glow was sure of it.

In a weak attempt, Soul Glow threw a punch at his evil self, which he easily blocked, and proceeded to grab hold of his hooves.

"Yer jest a useless wimp, aren't ya?!" The evil Soul Glow mocked him, laughing in his face. "Ya can't dah anything on yer own, can ya?!"

The dark Soul Glow exerted more force, shoving Soul Glow to the ground.

The evil Soul Glow placed a hoof on his chest, pushing down with exponential force, himself laughing at this.

"Without Nightmare Moon, you's bah nothin'!" He cried at him. "Yer weak without har!"

Soul Glow was at his mercy now.

His body was still weak, still hurt from his previous fight with those six ponies. It had only happened a few short days ago, but the bruises were just as painful, just as sensitive as they had always been.

Even now, as his body clenched and tensed, his cuts and bruises flexed and stretched, reopening as he grew weaker, the pain level slowly rising as slowly more force was applied.

Soul Glow didn't want to fight. He really didn't. All he wanted to do was be back in Nightmare Moon's company, to be her 'loving' embrace once again. And he was so close to her, he could practically feel her body heat as she stared on, a smirk on her face.

Soul Glow felt his eyes grow wet, as both pain and sheer wanting of Nightmare Moon grew too much.

"Please, jest let muh go…" He whispered softly to his evil self, his will to fight all but gone.

In the face of his cries, the evil Soul Glow simply threw back his head, and laughed at him, his bellowing ringing loud and clear through the forest. He was enjoying himself.

Rather than answer his pleads with action, the dark pony with Luna's face instead stood forwards, giving the injured unicorn a little chuckle.

"Come now, Soul Glow. Have you forgotten so easily?" She asked him, a tilted smile on her face. "Ponies like us, like you and me, we don't deserve kindness from other ponies, we don't need it."

She scoffed at him, giving him a mocking smirk.

"The truth is nopony will ever love you or care about you because you are you. You're a disgusting, uneducated swine, hardly even a pony. And definitely not fit to remain at my side."

Her words hurt as much as any spell could. He had spent most of his completely dedicated to her, waiting for her, and followed her when she did come. To hear her speak such awful words to Soul Glow filled his heart with cold rain, drowning any senses. All he could feel was the cold numbness. He felt no love for himself, no love for or from anypony.

With little will left, he fell to the ground, not even the malicious laughs of the evil Soul Glow gave him a spark of energy. He was already defeated, both in body and in spirit.

"Without me, you're nothing, and you'll always be nothing." Nightmare Moon continued to harass him, her grin only growing wider. "You're unloved, unwanted, and unneeded. You know nothing except how to take, how to be cruel and evil." "You're nothing more than an animal, a mangy mutt, hated."

The words only made the pain more severe, Soul Glow's soul not glowing at all, and was now black, death, without a sign of life.

"Without me, you're a mad dog with no lease." She stated, before her face took on a more sinister tone. "And you will be put down."

Tears now flowing freely, Soul Glow's vision was blurred.

He didn't know how to feel, just how he should express himself. All the life from him was drained by Nightmare Moon's mere words. Without her, he had nothing, he knew nothing.

"'N ah'm gonna dah dat tah ya!" The evil Soul Glow cried out, his horn glowing with a menacing dark magic. "You's gonna git it now!"

Soul Glow's eyes widened even further, the darkness of the whole scene now suffocating him.

He found it hard to breathe, and hard to see as the blazing spell flashed out of the horn, exploding towards Soul Glow.

* * *

Soul Glow awoke with a jolt, his head spinning as this hair flew this way and that.

He gasped at what he just dreamed of, his heart pounding like the hooves of one thousand stallions.

Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead, either getting caught in his long and unkempt mane, or dripping onto the bedspread, creating wet spots.

He glanced around where he was, seeing that he was no longer in the evil and scary dark forest, but in his bedroom in Canterlot.

He calmed down a bit, but only a bit.

Although he had forgotten about his first nightmare, this one was well remembered by him.

He could recount every detail, from what was said, to how everypony looked.

He still shuddered upon thinking of his evil self, but what disturbed him most of all was the mare in the nightmare.

The worst part was her face. It wasn't Nightmare Moon's, but something similar.

Although he couldn't put his hoof on it, he knew that it was somepony he had met recently. She had that sense of familiarity. He knew her, but he wasn't sure from where.

He took another scan around the room, seeing that he was now alone, with a light breeze coming through the window.

He bit at his lip, coming to another conclusion.

This was now the second day in a row where he hadn't seen Nightmare Moon.

She was there, only a few days ago, right in front of him. She had so much power, so many ponies feared her, but now, she was gone. He hadn't seen a trace of her since her disappearance, not a single whisper or hair of her. If it wasn't for his memories of her, it was almost like she never existed.

But she did, no, she does exist. She is still around, somewhere in Equestria. Soul Glow was just stupid enough to let himself get seperated from her.

It was then that his mind was drawn to that time when they were separated before, when Nightmare Moon was still imprisoned in that white orb in the sky, and Soul Glow was still in the Everfree Forest.

Then he remembered.

Even on the darkest and rainiest nights during his stay in the Everfree Forest, all he had to do was call her name. Just call her name, and she would answer with a few words of her own.

Soul Glow took this as proof that she was indeed nice, and the words of those six ponies were lies. She came to him, comforted him, spoke to him while he was lonely, cold, hungry, and scared.

Perhaps if he did so now, she would answer.

With this in mind, Soul Glow held his head high, as he called out

"Nightmare Moon?"

He waited a moment, it was silent.

A sudden sound of the turning of a door handle sounded off, causing Soul Glow to gasp out in fear.

Burying himself underneath the sheets, he cowered and shivered, as his eyes were glued to the door, the door knob turning slowly but surely.

Was it Nightmare Moon?! Was she coming back to take Soul Glow?!

The door suddenly flung open as a dark figure trotted into the room, scaring the young colt half to death.

"Soul Glow!" Luna cheered at him, a smile on her face. "I missed you so much!"

When his heartbeat returned to normal, that's when it hit him. The face in the dream was exactly like Luna's, without a single detail missing.

His mouth hung wide open, as his eyes followed a similar shape.

She was the one from the nightmare, the one who had terrorized him.

Luna let out a little chuckle at his hanging mouth, mistaking it for Soul Glow overwhelmed by her love for him.

She had no idea what had taken place.

Sure, Soul Glow's dreams had been fine for most of the night. That was, until Luna decided to leave her dream realm, and plan out her day with Soul Glow, leaving him at the hands of his own consciousness.

"Did you sleep well?" Luna asked him as he rubbed the crust from his eyes.

He didn't answer. He didn't want to speak with her.

Luna was awake during Soul Glow's nightmare, unable to see it, unable to stop it. She had no idea of Soul Glow's night terror.

But Soul Glow has no idea on the concept of dreams. All he knew was that Luna had frightened him, scared and threatened him.

He cast a glare at her, eyeing her with a sense of caution.

Whatever estranged comfort that Soul Glow had with Luna was not completely gone.

He remembered her face from his nightmare, how she laughed at him, poked fun, and terrorized him.

Even if those dreams weren't real, they were real to Soul Glow. In his mind, he now knew what Luna's full intentions with him were, and they weren't good.

He would have to find Nightmare Moon fast.

Luna grew uneasy by his wordless state, letting out an uneasy chuckle.

She honestly didn't know what this was about. She thought yesterday went well, and didn't understand his mood now.

Maybe she had woken him up when she burst through the door. Her words were true, she did miss him, and couldn't wait to start the day with him. She thought this, although the day had started long ago. It was already close to one in the afternoon. She wanted to make sure he got plenty of rest before their day together.

And then her mind came to another thought.

Maybe it was because he was just so overwhelmed by her. He had never experienced such friendship and love for him before. His world was full of the darkness of The Everfree Forest, and now he was being awoken by a friendly cry of his name?

Why, it was clear as the color of water as to what put Soul Glow in this current mood.

He didn't hate her or anything, he was just overwhelmed, and had no idea how to show such emotions.

Well, Luna had an answer to this.

She had already made plans well in advance, Soul Glow's whole day was already mapped out by Luna.

The two would spend the day, or what was left of it, together.

"Well, I hope you slept well." Luna smiled at him, trying to ignore his glare. "I sleep like a rock, took the alarm ten minutes before I woke up!"

She broke out in a small laugh, hoping to bring something out of Soul Glow, who instead just continued to stare at her.

Her chuckling died down as she saw it was useless, instead deciding to take initiative of the day.

Afterall, these plans we're going to unfold themselves.

"Come with me, Soul Glow." Luna told him in her characteristic warmth. "I have a wonderful day planned out for us."

Even if he felt this caution around her, he couldn't help but follow her words.

They just seemed so soothing, so warm and comforting. It was very strange. Sure, her face only reminded him of the dream, and what followed in it. But her words, her tone, her smile, they seemed to penetrate the very wall he tried to put up between her, and filled his heart with a fuzzy feeling, one that told him that everything was fine, that he was safe.

He couldn't understand it, these conflicting feelings.

Soul Glow found himself leaving his bed, following Luna as she led him out of his bedroom and into the hallway.

Not even a minute into their trek, and they encountered a certain somepony.

"Hello there, Luna." Celestia greeted her sister.

The two sisters hugged, happy to see each other again.

Celesita, then noticed Soul Glow, giving him a warm smile.

Unimpressed, and still bitter about Luna, Soul Glow let out a simple groan, rolling his eyes at the white alicorn.

In his eyes, he already knew what these two ponies wanted with him, and it wasn't good. Whatever warm words they shared with him were only faked, he was sure of it.

To him, whatever they were going to say to him, it was pointless, useless. The two princesses may as well just be shouting abuses at Soul Glow, that's how he took it.

However, these thoughts of course couldn't be read by the two princesses, and only received his cold stare, his wordless response.

Even under this, Celestia did not let her smile or good nature waiver.

She had dealt with children before in her School For Gifted Unicorns, and knew of their notorious tempers and attitudes.

Even if Soul Glow was technically an adult stallion, his facial expression wasn't far from a unicorn filly.

Soul Glow was probably just in a bad mood, maybe he was bored or hungry.

Whatever the reason, Celestia simply brushed off his wordless insult, it was nothing worth getting worked up about anyway.

Celestia then turned her attention back to her sister, asking

"And just what do you two plan on doing today?"

Upon this question, Luna leaned in close to her sister, her mouth at her ear.

She didn't want Soul Glow to hear of the surprise for him.

"Dear sister, I believe that a private learning session with Soul Glow would do wonders." She spoke to Celestia in a hushed, excited voice. "If you think about it, he has never been to a school before, just think of all the things that he has missed out on learning."

"But there is so much that you could teach him." The eldest sister informed her. "It might be unwise to overwhelm him this early on."

Celestia's worries were entirely justified, and Luna had already taken this into consideration.

"I understand that fully." She told her, her excitement not wanning. "I have thought about what might be the most important thing for him to learn early on might be. I even discussed it with Soul Glow's doctor and a few other ponies."

Even if Luna was whispering in her ear, Celestia could practically see the twinkle of enthusiasm in her sister's eyes as she spoke. That spark never blew out as she continued to speak.

"And I have decided that the best lesson of all is that of the magic of friendship, as well as that of the family. If Soul Glow were to feel welcomed here, it is imperative that he understand just what it means to be welcomed and loved. I really do want him to feel welcomed and loved here."

Celestia expressed her feelings with a cheeky smile at her sister.

Hard to believe that it was only a few days ago that Luna was once Nightmare Moon, a creature of darkness who sought out nothing but revenge. And now she was going out of her way to show another pony compassion and love, to ensure that his heart glows with warmth and light.

"As do I, dear sister." Celestia told her. "Love is a verb, and it is important to both tell and show him just what it means."

Luna responded to her sister's saying with a smile of her own.

"And I will." She promised her sister. "It will be a bonding experience for the both of us."

"I agree." Celestia told her sister, nodding her head in approval. "A lesson on love can do wonders. He can learn about the magic of friendship, love, family, harmony, and every other core value that we hold."

She gave a caring wink to her sister, saying

"And it will indeed be a chance for him to bond with you."

Hearing of Celestia's approval for her plan, only gave her more resolve to actually do it.

In her best case scenario, she wished it would be similar to that of Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. Luna was informed that Twilight joined Celestia's school at a young age, and was taken in as her personal student. In those years, the two now share a very strong bond, coming only second to what Twilight might share with her parents.

Luna wanted something just like that. For Soul Glow to be open to his problems and issues with Luna, for him to be comfortable around her. Luna wanted Soul Glow to see herself as a figure that he could trust, one that he could rely on.

However, Luna wanted to go deeper than Celestia did.

She had thought about it all night long.

The idea had floated into her mind as soon as she first saw him in the hospital bed, still under the influence of Twilight's sleep spell. He looked so harmless, almost weak, and lost. He needed somepony to lean on, a pony who could show him the world and all it had to offer, to protect him and provide the love and growth he deserved.

She wanted to be the mother that Soul Glow never had, to watch him grow into a strong and kind stallion, to see him blossom into something better.

And she wanted to have a hoof in it.

Additionally, if Luna was in fact able to raise this colt like her own, to show him love and compassion, and help him grow into a better colt, it would put all of her worries aside.

She would no longer fear the darkness that was once in her. She would see that Nightmare Moon was a thing of the past, just a phase and nothing more.

Soul Glow was the current product of Luna's past hatred for her sister. If she could change Soul Glow for the better, Nightmare Moon's last impact on Equestria would be gone, and thus, so would she.

With this in mind, the two go into a room that Luna had furnished just hours before, Celestia leaving their company for her royal duties.

Luna really was excited about the whole thing, she had poured her time, energy, and sweat into this, and hoped that Soul Glow would enjoy it just as much as she did.

As they entered, Soul Glow was taken aback, marveling at the whole scene. These items, this furniture that he was bearing witness to, he had never seen it before in his entire life. This was the first time ever.

However, these objects were familiar with everypony else.

The room contained many desks that Luna had acquired, all wooden and worn, just as Luna requested them. She really wanted a natural feel to the whole setting.

Moving quickly to take her spot, Luna stood at the front of the makeshift classroom, in front of the whiteboard.

On the whiteboard was a hoof drawn portrait of a mother pony, father pony, and two pony children, all smiling brightly as they hugged. Underneath was written 'Family Force Fun!'

Luna had spent hours gathering all the materials needed to simulate classroom life, and hoped that she pulled it off.

Luna motioned towards the chair in front of her, signaling Soul Glow to take a seat.

Once Soul Glow did, which he remembered how to do properly since yesterday, Luna began her lesson.

She put her hooves on her desk, as she proclaimed boldy

"Today, Soul Glow, we will be talking about family."

Luna could have chosen any topic, from reading to counting to colors.

However, she decided that the family unit was the most important lesson of all, for without family, without that reliable foundation, anypony was nothing.

"Family is one of the most important aspects of a pony's life!" She began. "It is through the family unit, that a pony learns, overcomes, and grows. It is the place where you feel the most safe."

Upon hearing this, Soul Glow thought about her words. All of this sounded good to him, no matter how utterly new and confusing it was.

Ponies who care and love you? He already had that, Nightmare Moon. But multiple ponies all expressing the same affection towards you? That was unheard of.

This whole family thing sounded pretty good to him.

"There are many ways that a family is structured, but a healthy family is made up of two parents, and at least one child." She informed him, emphasizing her point with a hoof in the air. "Think of everypony sort of like a character in a play, they grow and develop from each other. A parent learns just as much from parenting as a child learns about life."

With all this new information just thrown onto him, Soul Glow could only focus on one thing, a word that he did not recognize.

"Whah's a play?" He asked her.

Sure, he knew what 'playing' was, but a 'play'? He had no idea.

Luna was expecting a lot of questions about family, but not about the meaning of a word.

She put a hoof to her chin as she thought.

"What I mean is...uh…"

This question, which cut into precious learning time, could've been avoided altogether. She just had to think about the words she would use around him from now on.

Not only would she have to rule out words with multiple meanings, but would also have to only use small and easy to follow words. What a foal would be able to understand, she would have to use. At least for the time being.

"What I mean is that everypony benefits from each other in a variety of ways." She finally came to an answer, before segwaying back into her original point.

"One parent generally takes on the responsibility of bearing the burden of keeping the family financially secured. Then the second parent ensures that the home is well kept, as well as the child, or children, are given the love and support that they deserve. It is this job that I believe are the most important, even more so than that of the previous parent."

As if to emphasize this point, she held a hoof in the air once again in exclamation as she continued.

"It is the second parent that bears most of the burden of ensuring the growth of the future generation, to give the young foals the tools that they need to face the world, and eventually create a family for themselves."

She let out a long but happy sigh, as she muttered

"Mothers are especially important to the family…"

Her words slipped from her as she thought about the sheer love and support a mother could have for her child.

It was almost overwhelming.

"Although what the father shall face and bear should never be underestimated, mothers are the cornerstone of love and unity in the family."

Luna was absolutely lost in her imagination, her mind running wild with the memories she had of her own mother, and her childhood.

Meanwhile, Soul Glow's ears dipped down, as he stared at the table, almost in shame.

He didn't have this 'family unit' that Luna talked so passionately about. From what he could remember, he was raised in the woods with only a voice in his head. He had no 'father', no 'mother', no family of his own.

Even if this pony before him tried to act nice, he didn't see it. In his mind, he was all alone now.

With a single, low energy sigh, Soul Glow muttered

"It must bah nice...tah bah with yer mom…"

Luna's reminiscing halted as she saw Soul Glow depressed.

Her heart sank at this, knowing that she was the cause.

How could she have forgotten?

What was supposed to inspire Soul Glow only provided him with anger.

While Luna meant this to be a learning lesson for him, he took this as taunting.

He didn't have a mother, or at least didn't know his. He missed out on all the fond and loving memories and relationships that Luna spoke so highly of.

Soul Glow's memories of a mother were all but forgotten. To him, he had never really had one. All the fun and love that Luna talked about, he had never experienced. It was almost as if she were making fun of him, reminding him of what he was missing out on.

"Yeah, you're right." Luna sighed to herself, settling down her pointer.

This lesson wasn't going the way she thought it would.

She had hoped it would give him a sense of what family was, and hopefully engrain in him the ideas of love and friendship. She hoped that he would've jumped at this prospect, to want to experience familiar love firsthoof.

However, all she did was remind him of what he was missing out on.

He was sad, and bearing a solid glare at her, it was apparent now.

Perhaps she should just end this lesson right now, and move on to something else. It would be for the best.

As if by a miracle, Soul Glow's stomach let out a mighty growl, ringing throughout the room.

This gave Luna an idea.

The last time Soul Glow had eaten was yesterday, the celery and whatever other single ingredient foods that agreed with him.

For most of the night, the Doctor who tended to Soul Glow, as well as Luna, converged for hours, coming up with what foods he could eat, and which ones he couldn't.

After hours of experiments and research, they finally came to the conclusion.

The simpler the food, the better of a chance of Soul Glow eating it. Things like cabbage and celery worked well for Soul Glow because they were all simple. They were natural, containing nothing artificial. Simple pleasures like candy and sweets were too sugary for him, nothing was like that in the natural world, too many chemicals.

Additionally, any foods that were not natural, or made with natural ingredients, such as processed foods would not work out.

At least for the time being, Soul Glow would be kept on a healthy and strict diet. No sugary foods, nothing too fattening, everything had to be strictly natural. He had a sensitive stomach.

It had taken a few hours, but Luna had decided on a great meal for Soul Glow, one that was tasty, healthy and full of nutrition, and all natural, not upsetting to even the most sensitive stomachs.

Luna smiled at what she had in store for Soul Glow.

She knew just what to make him, and just where to have it.


	9. The Truth

**Author's Note: Well this chapter took a bit longer than I originally thought. That's because while writing this, I had a sudden urge to return to a fanfic which I had abandoned for almost a year. It's a Little Witch Academia fanfic if that interests any of you.**

**Anyway, back to the adventures of Soul Glow!**

* * *

Luna sighed to herself, as she set the final arrangements on the table.

Although she had planned this activity hours in advance, it was only a bit ago that she managed to get Soul Glow to follow her.

She noticed that he was much more difficult now. Yesterday, he was at least willing to follow her with little protest. And when she finally gave him a good meal, his stomach full for the first time in years, he was more than willing.

But today, whether it was through his glares or lack of words, Soul Glow just seemed uncooperative.

Sure, he did eventually manage to follow Luna and engage in the day, but only after multiple requests and encouragement from the Princess did this happen.

Luna knew that something would have to change.

Since food worked so well on him the first time, she figured that it might do the trick a second time.

"I should've timed this better." She told herself. "It's almost sunset."

Soul Glow didn't say anything as Luna set the two plates on the table, herself taking a seat across from him.

As she sat down, she flashed Soul Glow a smile, trying to give him a sense of love and friendship.

However, as he did with all her other signs, he merely shrugged it off with a grunt.

He wasn't interested in friendship with this pony, not after what she did to him in that dream.

In Soul Glow's mind, that dream was real, or at least contained her true emotions towards him.

At this moment, he didn't trust Luna in the slightest, nor did he have any intentions of friendship or familiar love with her.

Whatever anguish Soul Glow felt towards Luna was unknown to her, herself looking down at the food in front of them.

Hoof made by Luna herself, she had constructed a sandwich for herself and Soul Glow, both being of the same ingredients.

In between two slices of whole wheat bread were a mishmash of vegetables and grains. Hay, wheat, tomatoes, avocados, lettuce, and a jumble of other foods also decorated the meal.

Sure, it may be a strange combination, but it was surprisingly tasty, and most of all, healthy for Soul Glow to eat.

It was a simple but delicious sandwich.

Luna levitated the sandwich to her with magic, consuming it with pleasure.

It had been a long night and day for her.

However, Soul Glow didn't eat at his food, he didn't even pick at it or give it any thought.

He had too much on his already feeble mind to worry about a sandwich.

He was confused.

For a pony who was accustomed to scourning and foraging for food on the ground, the idea of another pony willingly giving food was alien to him. He had no memories of ever receiving food from another pony, only Nightmare Moon taking his share during their brief period in the cave.

And by Soul Glow's logic, Luna was evil, or at least not good. If she truly was evil, she wouldn't have given Soul Glow free food.

He was dumbfounded, more so than usual.

"Why er ya doin' dis fer muh?" He asked her.

Luna lowered the sandwich down, as she put a hoof to her heart.

"Because I care for you, Soul Glow." Luna told him, giving him a heartfelt smile. "You're a pony just like me, and I can tell you're a good stallion on the inside."

Soul Glow couldn't help but stick out his tongue at her. He didn't believe a single word from her.

She couldn't have loved him. He remembered how she treated him in the nightmare, how he was scared, and how she laughed. A pony who has compassion for another wouldn't do that.

Besides, Soul Glow wasn't at all what Luna said he was. He wasn't good. If he was good, then Nightmare Moon would be her with him right now, he wouldn't be in this castle, but with her.

She wasn't with him, and he had no idea where she was. She must be angered or disappointed in him.

What Luna said sickened him. It was all just one big lie.

He turned back to his food, still not in the least bit hungry.

He hadn't eaten all day, and could use the nutrition, but he still did not indulge.

Instead, Soul Glow shoved the plate away with his hoof, frowning as he did.

Luna finally put down her sandwich, taking a heavy sigh as she had to address the elephant in the room.

"Soul Glow, are you not eating?" She asked him.

Upon her very voice, Soul Glow's teeth clenched, as his anger rose.

Whenever she spoke, it reminded him of the dream, where she was evil, played with Soul Glow, threatened, and laughed at him all the while.

Her face, voice, and mere presence only sparked the negative within him.

He wished that he would blink, and Luna would be gone, no longer pestering him, no longer holding him here.

Perhaps if he answered her question, Luna would go away.

For the third time today, Soul Glow spoke to her.

"Nah, ah'm not hungry." He simply said. "Ah doan wanna eat."

Upon hearing this, her face turned nervous.

She remembered just how hungry Soul Glow was yesterday, how he ate half of the castle's supply of celery and lettuce in just a few hours, and still wanted more.

To think that he wouldn't be hungry now was crazy.

"Do you feel alright?" She asked Soul Glow. "Are you sick?"

She put up a hoof, wanted to apply it to his forehead, to see if it was hot with a fever.

However, after today, she wasn't sure if he would let her do that.

It was unknown if he would slap her away, cower, or let her. She honestly didn't know.

And that's what really killed her on the inside.

She had no idea what Soul Glow thought of her, or what their true relationship was like.

Sure, she could pretend as if everything was alright. She could speak sweet words to him, and although she meant every single word, they seemed to mean nothing to Soul Glow.

But she didn't know what he truly thought of her. Whether Soul Glow hated her with a passion, had an empty but open heart towards her, or felt the same love she felt towards him was a mystery.

Although the memories of the nightmare and his dislike of Luna were still running through his mind, his priority was on something else right now.

He was sick, not with a cold or fever, but sick from a lack of love.

Although Luna gave him more love and care in these past few days than he had received in years, it didn't matter. Soul Glow didn't accept her love, not anymore, not after that dream. If love was food, Soul Glow stuck up his nose at whatever Luna offered him, and was starving as a result.

Hunger and sadness were with him now. Sure, with Nightmare Moon he was still hungry, but at least he had love, even if it was cheap.

Now he had nopony to love, and nopony who loved him. Or at least that's how he felt about this situation.

He was lonely, bearing only the memories of Nightmare Moon to keep him going.

In his sorrows, Soul Glow let his harsh demeanor slide, showing a bit of vulnerability to Luna.

"Ah jest miss har, miss Nightmare Moon." Soul Glow muttered in sadness. "Dah more ah'm away from har, dah more sick ah feel."

What Soul Glow was feeling finally hit the princess. He was love sick.

The only pony who truly offered him love, Luna, was being rejected, forced away, her good intentions in vain.

He may be food starved, but his body also lacked love.

To Soul Glow, the only pony who loved and would ever love him was already gone with the wind. Although he didn't fully understand the truth of her, Soul Glow still saw her as the one pony he could share love with, and now that she was gone, he had no other.

Luna felt like crying, a few tears, nothing more.

The longer she kept this secret from Soul Glow, the more it hurt him.

She tried to ignore it, but she saw it. Soul Glow was on the decline.

Sure, he was relatively fine yesterday, only showing distress when he felt ill after eating the pancakes. She honestly thought that day had gone well, or at least, much better than it could've gone.

But this day had just been a grind for both ponies, nothing easy.

Soul Glow had to deal with all the confusion of being in a whole and confusing new world, all the while the one he loves the most isn't there. Meanwhile, and before that, Luna had been dealing with her overwhelming guilt, as well as the stress of trying to do right by this pony.

It was starting to overwhelm her.

In all honesty, Luna had thought often about the lie she told Soul Glow, and the consequences it could've had.

This false hope of Nightmare Moon's return stuck with Soul Glow, but it rotted him. The longer that he believed that Nightmare Moon was still around, and the longer he had to wait, the more depressed he would grow.

The more she kept this secret, the more it hurt him, and thus the more it hurt Luna.

Nopony was getting anything out of this lie. What was set up to make Soul Glow feel better only gave him a sense of despair and anxiety.

Luna took a deep breath, her stomach heavy, her heart hard.

She had rehearsed just how to phrase this to him when the time came, and had so far come up with nothing.

Just how would you go about telling somepony that the pony they've looked up to, loved and followed for years, not only didn't exist, but also live a life of pure evil?

It was impossible, but Luna would have to make it possible.

Luna took a heavy gulp, feeling something welling up in her throat.

She wished that she could just avoid this subject altogether, to somehow wipe Soul Glow's mind clean and forget about her past forever.

However, that was not possible, as well as not fair to Soul Glow.

She had to face her past, and tell Soul Glow the truth.

With a heavy sigh, she brushed her plate to the side, no longer hungry.

She knew this conversation was to come eventually, but didn't expect it to come now.

She gave Soul Glow a strong stare, himself growing rather uncomfortable by her probing eyes.

He had no idea what inner turmoil was taking place in Luna, but even in his socially uneducated state, could see the pain in her eyes.

"Your search for Nightmare Moon has come to an end." She told him outright and without hesitation. "For she is right in front of you."

These words initially took Soul Glow by complete surprise.

He leaned forward, his eyes going over Luna's shoulders, glancing behind her.

However, he didn't see Nightmare Moon in front of him, only Luna.

Luna shook at Soul Glow's response, he couldn't even play with the idea that Luna was in fact Nightmare Moon.

She would need to tell him outright, and that would be much more painful.

With another hard swallow, her throat still felt as dry as sand.

She licked her lips, trying to get some sort of moisture, as she stated

"I am, or should I say, was Nightmare Moon."

Upon these words, Soul Glow's whole world seemed to grind to a halt, crash, and burn.

He really couldn't move, all of his energy focused on just trying to think, but he couldn't think.

His lips curled, his mouth barely ajar, as he muttered

"Ya...were har?"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. There was no way that this pony sitting in front of him was the great and powerful Nightmare Moon.

Luna was just so...small, only a bit taller than Soul Glow himself. He remembered Nightmare Moon as this towering menace, confident and decisive.

This pony wasn't that. While Nightmare Moon was cold and careful, this pony was loving and kind, warm and compassionate.

There's no way she was Nightmare Moon, it was impossible.

Whatever thoughts Soul Glow had didn't matter, as Luna didn't show any signs of dishonesty.

She held her face strong, her teeth clenched, but still held onto her statement.

"Yes, Soul Glow. I was her." She told him, stone cold seriousness in her face. "I was her, but I am not her anymore."

Luna raised her head back as she took a deep breath through her nose.

What was transpiring was a tense situation, words weighted twice as much right now. The slightest mistake in a sentence, the wrong thing said at the wrong time, it could spiral this whole scene into something worse.

The best way to manage this situation would be to leave nothing to the imagination, to tell Soul Glow the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

"The pony that you know as Nightmare Moon, she doesn't exist now."

She almost couldn't stand to look at Soul Glow as she spoke these words.

His eyes only made Luna feel disappointed, the weight of his stare only crushing her.

"She's gone forever, banished, destroyed...gone…"

Her words were a hushed whisper, a somber tone which could've been unnoticed by most ponies.

However, Soul Glow heard them loud and clear.

Even as Soul Glow's facial expressions began to twist, Luna still tried to keep the situation in the positive, as she gave Soul Glow a shaky smile.

"But what is left is me." She told him. "And I will ensure that I right all the wrongs that she has caused to everypony, especially to you."

There was a lot for Soul Glow to take in all at once.

There were so many words and phrases for him to dissect and understand.

However, all he could focus on what Luna had said, that Nightmare Moon was gone.

The one friend that he had ever had, the only pony he could remember that ever loved him, was now gone.

His voice was already weak and shaky, his eyes shining with a fresh layer of tears.

"She...she don't exist now?" He whispered to her, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

What Soul Glow also didn't realize was that another pony had entered the room.

Although she was present minutes beforehoof, she had decided to merely observe, hoping that her sister could explain the situation on her own.

Celestia sighed to herself, knowing that this would've happened eventually. The truth would've had to come out.

The eldest princess wished her sister would've told him sooner, and avoided the lie all together.

However, it had to come out, and there was no going back from it.

The elder sister should also come clean on her own truth.

Celestia stepped to the table, turning a face to Soul Glow.

"While the truth is coming out, I must admit to you…" She told the young colt, a serious look on her face. "I am Princess Celestia. And while my name may give you negative emotions, I can assure you that I am not quite as bad as my sister made me out to be."

"She can be quite the nice pony!" Luna jumped in, attempting to give the best impression of her onto him. "In fact, she's one the of the nicest ponies I've ever known."

Soul Glow just stared at the two, not believing what he was hearing.

He was so overcome by emotions that he didn't even question the sudden appearance of Celestia.

His lips quivered, as his pupils dilated, unable to fully comprehend these emotions. Sure, he heard and understood what was said, but he couldn't grasp it, his brain rejected such information.

Many emotions flooded his mind.

He was confused, his conscious pulsating and aching from the mental gymnastics he had to do. Luna was Nightmare Moon this whole time? But Luna was no longer Nightmare Moon? His childhood friend was pure evil, while Celestia was pure good? This was against everything he had ever learned.

He was angry because of this, angry that he had been deceived and lied to by Luna. She claimed that he wanted what was best for him, that she cared. Yet she and Celestia tore him from the only friend he had ever had, and acted like she didn't even exist.

But he was also sad. For now he fully understood that Nightmare Moon was gone for good, never coming back.

His best and only friend, the one who he looked up to for so many years, was gone.

It was almost too much for the young stallion to take. What was once an irreplaceable part of his world and life had now disappeared.

He once was with the most peaceful and loving pony of all Equestria, but now as in the presence of two monsters.

While his feelings towards Luna were relatively new, he knew of the other sister for quite some time.

In fact, these memories began to flood his mind, as he could barely mutter out her name.

"_C-C-Celestia_?"

He had heard a lot about Celestia over the years, all of it from Nightmare Moon, and none of it was good.

He was taught that Celestia was not a Princess, but a tyrant, a force of evil that stopped at nothing to live out her ambitions of destruction and conquest.

And yet, when the white alicorn looked on at Soul Glow, it was not a stare full of ill intentions, but one of genuine concerns. She didn't want to hurt him.

He switched his gaze to Luna, and the more he stared at her, the more he began to believe her.

Luna, she looked and sounded so similar to Nightmare Moon, it was an almost identical form!

From her horn and hair, all the way down to her hooves, it was a match.

But Soul Glow still found this hard to believe.

There was no way that Luna was Nightmare Moon! No, Nightmare Moon was Nightmare Moon, and Luna was Luna!

And there was no way that Celestia was a nice pony. Nightmare Moon had told him time and time again that she was evil, that she had done horrible things to Equestria, and planned on repeating these acts forever.

And Nightmare Moon also told him that anypony who was associated with Celestia was evil as well.

That could only mean one thing.

These two ponies in front of him were evil!

Soul Glow jumped from his chair, it fell to the floor with a loud clammer.

"Soul Glow!" Luna cried out in surprise, also jumping from her seat.

She was dreading this, his initial reaction.

She had no idea how he would react. Would he be vengeful towards Luna for her lie, would he curl up into a ball on the floor and cry? Anything was possible.

Not even Celestia, with over ten thousand years of wisdom, could guess his next move.

Soul Glow didn't even know what to do.

He wanted to scream, not anything in particular, but a wail, almost in remembrance of his friend.

However, Soul Glow couldn't, and did the only thing that he knew how to do.

He took just a glance at the door, and with the speed only a pegasus could match, ran.

Within the blink of an eye, the dirty pony was already gone, through the door and halfway down the hallway beyond.

While Celestia was still bewildered at what took place, Luna wasted no time, taking off after him as she shouted

"Soul Glow, wait!"

In quick succession, Celestia followed her sister, both of them now running down the hallway.

This act caught the attention of two royal guards, on their daily patrol around the castle.

Seeing such a sight of both Princesses racing after Soul Glow caused more than an eyebrow to be raised.

The guards followed the two princesses, all four of them trying to keep up with him.

Soul Glow didn't know where he was running to, all of it just seemed like a big ugly blur to him.

Tears welled up in his eyes, blocking his vision as he smashed into tables and furniture, his speed not faltering.

He just needed somewhere to be alone, to process all of this information, to fully come to terms with it.

Soul Glow rounded a corner, throwing himself into the first room he could see.

It only took Soul Glow a few glances around for him to see where he was.

It was the ballroom that Luna had shown him earlier.

Although it was dark and dusty, Soul Glow felt strangely at home there.

No, not because he necessarily liked the dark, but because he was finally alone.

He was away from the watchful eyes of the guards, the concerned look of the Princesses, all to himself now.

Here, he could at least hide his broken heart, as a few tears sprinkled down his cheek.

Soul Glow slumped to the floor, his legs weary and his breathing erratic.

He didn't want to believe it, he couldn't believe it, it all had to be a lie!

But the more he thought about it, how strikingly similar Luna looked to Nightmare Moon, how much their voices matched, Soul Glow found it hard to argue against.

Even if Soul Glow had all the time in the world to think of every possible scenario he could, he wouldn't have been able to come up with one, no excuse or explanation could've been created.

Soul Glow buried his head into his lap, trying to muffle his gentle sobbing, loneliness now setting in.

Sure, he was lonely before, but he at least had the belief that Nightmare Moon would one day return, and rescue Soul Glow and all of Equestria from the evil hooves of Celestia. However, there was no longer a Nightmare Moon, Soul Glow's last hope was squashed, destroyed, all without any input from him.

There was no more Nightmare Moon, Soul Glow's first and closest thing to a friend, even if she didn't feel the same way, was no more.

He felt bitter, as if a cruel joke was just played on him.

After so long of waiting for her to return to Equestria, she was defeated and erased on just a few short days.

Why in Equestria did the good ones have to go?! Why Nightmare Moon?! Why not those six evil ponies from before or Celestia?!

He wished that everypony would just disappear, and that Nightmare Moon would come back, that things would be normal again.

He would rather be in the cave than in the castle. At least then he would be loved, not lied to.

Soul Glow let out a heavy sigh, wiping at his warm tears with his mane.

He was finally now alone, alone to his own thoughts-

"Soul Glow!" Luna cried out, as everypony burst into the room. "Are you alright?!"

He didn't say anything, he didn't even look at her.

His mind was absolute mush right now, it had been smashed, pulverised, and everything in between. His world was rocked to its core, and all he could do was try and comprehend the damage.

And he could only blame two certain someponies.

The more he thought of the two ponies, Luna and Celestia, the more angered he felt.

He couldn't even begin to process that Nightmare Moon, his everything, was now gone, that he was now alone.

But now he also had to register that what once was Nightmare Moon was now sided with Celestia, a creature of evil?

"Please, talk to me!" Luna begged him, her own tears beginning to fall. "Tell me your thoughts! I want to help you!"

Help?

To Soul Glow, these ponies had 'helped' enough.

He was taken from his only friend, who only wished to fight for what was right, and treated like a villain by other ponies. All he was trying to do was help them.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to save Equestria from the evils of Celestia, to free the world from tyranny. He spent years in the Everfree Forest, waiting for Nightmare Moon, the one pony who could challenge the evil one, in the hopes of providing some assistance to this hero.

However, it seems as though his selflessness has gone in vain.

This only caused his anger, his raw emotions to thrive and grow beyond measure.

He had done so much, gone through so much pain and hardships, all for nothing! He was in an even worse position than before, in the belly of the beast, and without a superhero to save him!

He felt his heart beat and pulse, almost in a pained ache, his throat twitching. His teeth grinded together, his tongue shook violently, and his eyes bulged.

Something awakened inside the young colt, something that he had almost forgotten about entirely.

Without a word, Soul Glow stood up, staring at all the ponies in the room.

While the Royal Guards were tense, ready to defend their princesses, the two alicorns had faces of concern. Luna especially, her face was already tear stained, her body trembling with anticipation.

He didn't think, didn't plan these actions. It almost seemed natural, second nature to the colt.

His lips curled, his jaw began to clench and stretch, his tongue flopped this way and that.

He was trying to remember a certain muscle memory that he had forgotten so long ago, one that was banished from his mind.

To everypony in the room, it looked as though Soul Glow was having a facial spasm of some kind, perhaps a muscle tic.

"Soul Glow…" Luna held a trembling hoof to him, not understanding. "Are...are you ok-"

Suddenly, Soul Glow erupted into a violent cry, one that was far louder than any words he had spoken.

"Okay!"

His sudden shout sent the room into a dread filled silence.

Even the royal guards, in all their years of hardened experience, couldn't come up with a response, and could only watch in bemusement.

Another rumble of words came from Soul Glow's vein filled neck.

"Ah'm sittin' in dah ball room! Jest tryin' tah avoid dah gloom. Jest tah make mah feel, make mah feel okay!"

Was he singing?

Yes, all the words were rhyming, and he even had a more musical tone to his voice.

It was something he hadn't done in many years.

This stress filled situation seemed to bring out one of his most primal passions, one that was suppressed long ago.

"Gonna put it all aside now, yer not here bah mah side now." Soul Glow continued, his whole body filled with a sudden spark of energy, his words directed at Luna. "Ah can't believe dis whole thang's got mah spinnin' round 'n round!"

Every word seemed to flow like water, even through his choppy accent.

However, even as he lost himself in his music, he never forgot about Nightmare Moon.

"Yes, ah keep pursuin' like a stalker, jest wanna talk tah har, think ah'm gonna breakdown."

He then turned to the royal guards, as if asking them directly

"Whah am ah gonna do about dis situation at hoof? Mah paranoia's startin' tah kick in."

The two guards exchanged a confused glance towards each other, not quite sure how to respond, or even if they should.

"Har sweet voice is all ah'd ever hear." Soul Glow continued, referring to Nightmare Moon. "We used tah talk a lot, but now she's seems tah disappear!"

Soul Glow started to bang his head back and forth, his wild mane flowing this way and that, dirt and dust being shaken out.

"Ah think ah've found out whah's goin' on 'bout Nightmare Moon bein' g-g-gone, 'n if it's gonna be like dis everyday, ah cannot c-cope! So, where dah ah go from here?!"

He then turned his direction from Nightmare Moon back to Luna herself, himself pointing a hoof in accusation towards her.

"Ah found out dat she wants tah bah my friend, said she's never ever ever go 'n do dis 'gain. Ah think ah'm gonna take dis knife outta mah spine 'n give it back tah har! Leavin' har, ah'd prefer…"

Luna felt her throat tighten upon this verse.

She knew that he was referring to her, and feared that her predictions might be true.

Soul Glow felt no love for Luna at all.

In fact, it was the exact opposite. He hated her, hated Celestia, hated everypony. It was all made apparent in his music.

"Ah've kept it on dah down-low, so tell muh whah's dah dealio." Soul Glow continued, his voice full of anguish as he continued to reference Luna. "Ah can't believe she did whah she did tah muh."

In Soul Glow's eyes, Luna's lie was unforgivable and insulting.

He then focused his gaze solely on Luna, his lyrics now directed only on her.

"Now step aside, gurl. Yer no longer in mah world."

He then waved his hoof at her, as if attempting to dismiss her character entirely.  
"Ah don't think dat ya need tah bah talkin' to muh."

He then let out a heavy scoff as the thought of all that she had told him, questioning the truth of everything Luna had told him.

"All 'bout how ya said '_ya cared fer muh_'." Soul Glow sounded off in a voice mocking Luna's. "Ya '_miss muh terribly_'."

His mocking tone left him as a strong wave of rage flowed from his throat, releasing as he shouted

"_Well, ah don't buy dat at all_!"

These words left a large bruise on Luna, as if somepony had just punched her right in the gut.

All of the time that she was trying to help him, she was only pushing him away more, making him hate more.

The more she tried to squeeze him in a loving embrace, the more he slipped away from her.

Luna had failed him! She was no different than Nightmare Moon, she hadn't changed at all!

The Princess threw her head back, her mouth agape in a mournful cry as streams of tears ran down her face.

Nopony could react to the Princess's cries, as she quickly turned from Soul Glow.

As her sister bolted from the room in anguished tears, Celestia casted a heavy glare towards the young colt, her anger rising with every word of his song.

However, Soul Glow didn't notice, or perhaps didn't care, as he continued with his song.

However, Celestia noticed, and certainly cared.

She had tried to keep calm, tried to be the regal and understanding pony that she was famous for, but this colt had really tried her patience.

She was more than lenient with Soul Glow's crimes. Even if he was under manipulation, houses and homes were still destroyed, ponies were still hurt, and that had to be paid for. However, Celestia made sure that Soul Glow would be shielded from such a burden, upon a teary eyed request from Luna. The eldest sister gave him a chance to make things better, but all he did was hurt the one pony Celestia loved most in this world.

She couldn't stand to see her sister cry. It was her trigger of sorts.

With a loud grunt, her face transformed into a twisted expression of anger.

She stomped her hoof into the floor as she barked out

"Soul Glow, that's enough!"

This sudden cry broke Soul Glow's flow of lyrics, as he turned to face her.

Most of his passion and fire had already been funnelled into his song, and had now left him much more passive than before.

However, he still bore great apprehension to the two Princesses.

The sight of her sister crying was still fresh in her mind, as Celestia continued

"While I understand your feelings right now, you have pushed it too far!"

She didn't know what to say to him.

What do you say? What sort of punishment is fitting of this, if any?

In this heated moment of emotions, she didn't care about Soul Glow's past with Nightmare Moon or the trouble that he had caused Equestria.

What really enraged her was that Soul Glow had made her sister cry, even after she showed such love to him.

This temporary hatred guided her words, saying the first thing that came to her mind.

_"__**Go to your room, and think about what you have done**__!" _

Her Royal Canterlot Voice, something that she rarely used, temporarily halted Soul Glow's anger.

Even under Nightmare Moon's most hateful tones, which he rarely heard, it still could not hold a candle to this.

He quivered, his face twitched.

Celestia relaxed. It seemed as though her shout worked.

However, as soon as Celestia's face softened, Soul Glow's hardened back up.

"Yer jest as evil as Nightmare Moon told muh ya were!" He angrily declared, roughing pointing his hoof at her. "Yer evil, 'n ah doan talk tah evil ponies!"

The Princess held her head high, she shall not let his foul words hurt her.

"In that case, then we have nothing more to say." Celestia harshly declared, losing her characteristic warmth for a chilled cold. "The guards will escort you out."

Upon her words, the two guards that had accompanied them grabbed Soul Glow on either side of him.

The stallion initially struggled against their grasp, but halted his efforts as he realized how pointless it was.

Soul Glow, still weak from his injuries and malnutrition, had no hopes of besting royal guards in physique.

To be honest, the royal guards akinned his strength to a school foal, rather than a grown pony. It was a bit laughable.

With most of Soul Glow's fighting spirit gone, and his energy slipping away thanks to his song and dance, he didn't put up a further struggle.

Celestia didn't even look at the young colt as the guards carted him off to his room, she couldn't.

Almost as soon as her razor sharp tone left her mouth and struck Soul Glow, regret began to fester and doubt set in.

Perhaps she was too hard on the pony. Sure, he made Luna cry, but he honestly didn't know any better. And through his eyes, the young colt had much to be angry over. Really, it was unavoidable.

However, even as Celestia's disappointment in herself continued to foster, that didn't stop her orders from being carried out.

In a matter of moments, the door was locked, and Soul Glow was left alone in his room.

Well, at least he had gotten what he wanted in the end. A place where he could hide his broken heart.

His energy and voice was gone, his throat sore from his violent and passionate ditty.

He almost felt like giving up, to just lay down and be done with it all.

However, Soul Glow saw something in the corner of his eye.

The window in his bedroom, it was unlocked, the cool air blowing freely through his room. Luna must've forgotten to close it earlier that morning.

An open window to most ponies, but freedom to Soul Glow.

A sudden spark of energy ignited within the unicorn.

He didn't need another moment to think, only one to escape, and that moment was now.

* * *

****Author's Note: The song that Soul Glow sang is a tweaked version of X-Girlfriend by Family Force Five. Check it out! It's a great song and might give you a better visualization of that scene!****


	10. Parity Of Emotions

**Author's Note: Well, here we are. The new chapter is finally here, with Soul Glow and Luna hopefully dealing with their feelings in an appropriate manner.**

**Nevertheless, big credit goes to MissEljebel, but Spirit of Fantasy actually gets a bit more credit for this chapter! I was inspired by his story "The Moon's Child" while thinking of this story, and several scenes here are directly inspired by his great story! Keep on shaking it like an earthquake, man!**

* * *

Celestia moved with focused steps, her gaze and attention dedicated to one singular purpose.

She had to find her sister.

Although she had a good idea of where she was, and almost knew that she would be there, the Alicorn still walked with quick, firm steps.

It was only minutes ago that Luna left the room entirely, bursting into tears upon the hateful song of Soul Glow.

It honestly bothered the elder sister.

Ever since Luna's redemption, Celestia wasn't in the best of situations either. She was stressed as well.

Even with her usual royal duties, she was much in the same position as Luna was, caring for another pony.

However, instead of Soul Glow, it was Luna herself.

Celestia had always been protecting of her little sister, as any big sibling would be, both before and after she was banished to the moon.

Celestia certainly had her qualms with Nightmare Moon. However, the Princess had come to the conclusion that they were two separate entities. One was a manifestation of lust and evil, while the other was just her loving sister.

Celestia wasn't sure, but perhaps the same could be said about Soul Glow.

The elder Princess never heard of Soul Glow until the Summer Sun Celebration. However, from what Luna told her, it seemed as though Soul Glow was just your average happy, loving foal until he met Nightmare Moon.

There must be a spark of that still in the young unicorn. Celestia was sure of it.

Celestia made it to Luna's bedroom, noting that the door was open ajar.

Inside, light sounds of whimpering were heard, followed by an occasional blowing of the nose.

She just couldn't stand to see her sister in such a state.

"Dear sister, are you alright?" Celestia asked her sister, not even bothering to knock as she entered.

She saw Luna, laying on the bed.

Even if Celestia couldn't feel it herself, she saw the pillows and even parts of the blanket were wet and cold, a result of Luna's crying.

She had at least calmed down, not screaming in tears as she was before.

In fact, only a few feet from Luna's bed were several tissue boxes, all of them empty, their contents distributed throughout the room. A few were also on the bed itself.

"I'm fine, Tia." Luna mumbled to her sister, wiping away old tears from her cheeks. "I just needed a little time alone."

She wasn't necessarily sad at what Soul Glow had said to her, but something else.

Not his words, but what his words had done to her.

It shook her internally, made the young Princess question just how effective she was in helping Soul Glow.

Luna thought she was doing right by him, but clearly that was not the case.

The more she tried to embrace Soul Glow, the more it seemed he slipped away.

She didn't know what to think right now. She didn't have an answer, a way to fix this, and that's what killed her.

"I was crying because I'm confused." The Princess informed her sister, sniffling a bit. "I want to love him, it's just so hard when he says such hateful things…"

Her eyes were quivering, his words and song still echoing in her ears.

What she heard before she left the scene stuck with the Princess, it filled her with doubt.

Maybe it was Luna herself that was the problem. She was so clingy to Soul Glow, so willing to shower him in love, that she gave little thought to what he wanted.

With these thoughts in mind, she looked up at her sister, eyes wide and wet.

"Does that make me selfish?"

Celestia gave her grieving sister a calm and comforting smile.

"Not at all, Luna." She said, placing a hoof on her shoulder. "It only makes you a pony with emotions."

Luna had every right to leave the room the way she did.

She tried so hard to give him love, to make him feel safe, and all Soul Glow did was turn away, even hurting Luna in the process.

It seemed as though there was sin on both sides.

However, even as Celestia tried to drive encouragement within her, she saw her sister still glum, seemingly unmoved by her words.

Celestia knew that if she were to get through to her sister, it would take more than words alone.

Perhaps a piece from Celestia's own personal experience would do a far greater job, to show Luna that she truly was not alone.

Celestia retreated from her sister, still sitting on all fours, her back straight and dignified as she began.

"I remember when Twilight was a young foal, just starting in my School of Gifted Unicorns."

Luna remembered the name Twilight Sparkle.

Although the Princess only had limited interactions with her, she heard stories from Celestia of her power and intelligence, quite the opposite of Soul Glow.

Honestly, Luna had no idea how Twilight related to Soul Glow, besides their recent history. Those two were as different as ponies could be from each other.

"I sensed great intelligence within her, great power and promise." Celestia continued. "However, that didn't stop her from going through the stages of puberty."

That was a word that Luna had not heard in a long time, and was rather unexpected here.

Soul Glow might be far younger than the two Princesses, but he was a young adult, past puberty.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked her sister.

"Let's just say...some days were easier than others." Her smile dropped momentarily, slipping into a slight frown. "Much easier than others…"

"Oh…" Luna muttered, understanding what Celestia means.

Even the most knowledgeable and talented of prodigy could still succumb to anger just the same as anypony.

Hormones and all, even Celestia and Luna had their fair share of problems when they were young.

And Twilight definitely showed her's as well.

She was a child prodigy, taught by Princess Celestia herself. Bragging rights of course came with that, and were only strengthened by her current age. Other stuff followed too. Outbursts during class, suddenly becoming uninterested in the subject, disobedience. Oh yes, even Twilight Sparkle had her off days.

"And it hurt." Celestia continued her story. "However, I understood that words alone mean little, and that's all they were, just words."

Celestia gave her sister a comforting pat, her smile still holding.

"Love is a verb." The elder Princess proclaimed. "Action is what mattered, and so I acted, and ensured that she felt loved and welcomed. Soon enough, the conflict was resolved, and peace returned between us two. That's what you should do with Soul Glow, dear sister."

"But I've already tried to be nice!" Luna cried out, surprising Celestia.. "I fed him, gave him a room, provided him with constant support and love, and yet he rejected it!"

Luna threw her pillow across the room in a brief outburst.

"I don't know if I can do this…" Luna whimpered to herself, hiding her trembling eyes in her hooves.

To Luna, this was a prime example of why she really hadn't changed at all. Even if she still didn't have her dark magic, she was still causing pain to another pony, and one which she cared so much about.

Her one goal, the only way she could truly prove to herself that she wasn't evil anymore, was to make amends with Soul Glow, and ensure that his life was lived to the fullest potential.

She wished for him to grow into a strong, smart, and successful stallion, but it seemed as though it would be harder than that.

"You have tried all that, true." Celestia told her sister, an encouraging smile on her face. "But have you tried just talking to him?"

Luna paused, herself thinking this over.

While talking with Soul Glow was tried, it was never pushed or emphasized, always managing to slip away from the two.

Rather than discuss, Luna instead decided to shower Soul Glow in affection, feeding him till his fill, fluffing up his pillows before he slept, and provided for him in every way she could think of. Whether it was always smiling around him, or deflecting the issues altogether, Luna tried to make things seem as if they were all right, when in fact they were not.

It was only when he was too far gone did she offer to talk.

Luna's mouth gaped open, her face in awe, her eyes sparkling with eureka.

"Mistakes are always seen easier in hindsight." Celestia smiled, commenting on her sister's revelation. "It seems as though the harder you pushed, the more you pushed him away. You were so eager to quickly make amends with Soul Glow, you overwhelmed him. Love is something he has not experienced, at least for quite a long time. So much from you in so little time only served to separate."

Luna took in these words with great consideration.

It all made sense when her sister told her.

Luna had practically smothered him, overwhelmed him with love from the start, something that he wasn't yet ready for.

He had no idea what true love meant, so it only made sense that he would respond to her advances in such a way. He was confused and lonely, just the same as Luna was.

She had to talk to him, to work things out in a calm and steady fashion. No more fake smiles, no more overly sweet words, just Luna and Soul Glow.

Luna looked back up at her sister, her eyes were still wet, but focused, not shaky in the slightest.

"Where is Soul Glow?" She asked.

Celestia smiled at her sister's question.

The elder sister knew that it was only Luna who was able to break down the walls which separated Soul Glow from everypony else. She was the one with the only connection to the colt.

It honestly made Celestia happy to see her sister back in this state of mind, considering she was just suffering from a crying fit earlier.

"I sent him to his room." Celestia told Luna. "He should still be there."

Luna stood up from her bed.

"And when you're with him." Celestia added, a thin blush growing on her white face. "Can you tell him I'm sorry for raising my voice at him earlier? I was just so upset seeing you cry, I couldn't help but lash out."

Luna nodded at her sister before departing from her room, heading towards Soul Glow's.

Luna had no idea what Celestia meant by that, 'lashing out'.

Whatever the case may be, it didn't matter now.

Luna knew what she had to do, and just how to do it.

No longer would Luna hide behind a smile, too scared of upsetting Soul Glow. She would no longer pretend as if everything was okay.

Instead, she would address the situation at hoof, engage in dialogue with Soul Glow, and hopefully break down the walls which divide him from everypony else.

Only Luna could do it, and she knew that. That was a lot of stress, but for a noble cause nonetheless.

With her head held high, Luna made her way down the hallway, Soul Glow's room now in sight.

She saw that the door was closed.

"Soul Glow?" Luna called out through the door, knocking as she did.

She would at least remain polite around him. Screaming and yelling would do nothing.

However, she received no response, not even the usual unmotivated grunts and groans that he gave Luna all throughout the day.

Luna bit at her lip, this worrying her somewhat.

With her hooves starting to sweat, she unlocked the door, opening it slowly as to not disturb him.

Her dark face went as white as Celestia's.

There was nopony there but her, she didn't see Soul Glow.

With a quick entrance into the room, her eyes darted around the area, searching in every nook and cranny.

His bed wasn't even used, the sheets were still untouched!

Luna threw the bed sheets to the floor, exposing the mattress, but still no Soul Glow.

Her eyes fell to the window, still open, the curtains flapping in the light evening wind.

Fearing what this meant, Luna stuck her head out the window, cupping her mouth with her hooves.

"Soul Glow?!" She cried out into the wind, desperation in her voice. "Where are you?!"

Did he run away?! How could this have happened?!

"Luna!" Celestia rushed into the room, concern all over her. "I heard you screaming! What's wrong?!"

Tears now returning to her eyes, she threw herself at her sister, grabbing her into a hug.

"He's gone, sister!" She burst out, holding her sister tight.

A pang of guilt shot throughout the Alicorn, herself noticing the open window as well.

It was her sudden outburst, her hurtful words and brash decision that caused this. If she had only thought with her head, Soul Glow would not have felt the need to run away.

This was now Celestia's fault as much as it was Luna's.

Celestia gently eased out of the hug, a new and bold look of determination on her face.

The alicorn spoke with calm, yet decisive words.

"I'll organize a search party, and-"

She stopped as she noticed her sister leaping out the window, wings outstretched.

Celestia galloped towards the window.

In that quick moment, Luna was already long gone, just a speck of dust in the darkening sky.

"Luna, where are you going?!" Celestia cried out to her sister.

It was only a faint whisper at such a distance, but still clear as day to Celestia.

"To find Soul Glow!"

* * *

It was very strange to Soul Glow.

It was only days ago, when he was with Nightmare Moon, was the thought of singing repulsive to him.

Any tune, any song or sonata that came his way would've only sparked anger within the pony.

Not because he hated the act of singing itself, but because it brought out painful memories of his past, all of them crafted by Nightmare Moon.

Whenever he heard singing, he thought of pain, of fear, anger, and depression.

These were the false memories of his past before he met Nightmare Moon.

He had followed Nightmare Moon's orders as well as he could, and believed everything that she said as if it were law.

He thought that she would bring love and peace to Equestria, and Soul Glow had the privilege of being by her side.

But now, he wasn't sure what to think.

As the time they spent apart grew, Soul Glow found himself thinking of Nightmare Moon in a much different light than he used to.

Of course, he didn't actively do this, even forcing himself to go the opposite direction.

He still wanted to love her, to see her again, and wished that it would all return to normal once again.

Even if he had to give up this newly unlocked gift of his, he would gladly throw it all away for her.

However, he felt comforted by a new idea.

It was as if he had finally had a voice. He wasn't just following around Nightmare Moon anymore, nor was a prisoner of Celestia and Luna.

When he sang, he filled the scene with his presence, and let the whole world know that he was there.

And it wasn't just that.

He actually felt happy, something that he hadn't felt in a long time.

With every word he sang, his soul glowed with self affection. He felt warm and alive, even in the darkest and coldest parts of the woods.

No matter what he sang, as long as his voice carried, he would sing until he lost his voice.

Even in the dense foliage of the woods which he was now in, he felt as though he could sing for miles around him, every forest creature could hear him, he had a presence.

This excited Soul Glow.

He now had an audience of his own. Even if he couldn't see them, he knew that there were bugs, animals, and all sorts of creatures around him.

They would hear his story through song.

Soul Glow felt his vocal cords glow in a faint warmth once again, himself in a great desire to sing.

Sitting down on a nearby log, Soul Glow propped his feet up, and for the first time in awhile felt comfortable. He felt safe and secure.

He was finally alone, with an audience nonetheless.

No more Luna or Celestia, it was just him.

With this in mind, Soul Glow found himself once again getting lost to the sound of his own voice, himself singing high, so that every creature could hear.

"Tears fall tah dah ground when ah thank 'bout, how life goes on without har now. Luna broke muh heart on bended knee..."

And his voice did carry.

* * *

Luna marched on through the cold and dark forest, her eyes scanning every rock and tree.

Not a single insect nor animal walked by unnoticed, she was on high alert.

After a good length of flying, Luna had come to the conclusion that she couldn't see anything past the dense treetops.

Only a walk in the forest itself would give way to Soul Glow.

All Luna could do was to hope that she was going in the right direction. Honestly, she wasn't sure if he was in the woods at all.

All she knew was that Soul Glow spent most of his life so far in The Everfree Forest, he was used to such terrain.

Although they were very far from those woods, the forest around Canterlot was very similar, minus the dangers.

It's very possible that Soul Glow came here, this being the environment he was used to and thus felt safer in.

At least that's what she hoped.

Suddenly, the Princess stopped.

Luna could hear something, a distant noise, faint but all too familiar.

It carried, almost seeming to echo and bounce through the dense trees.

However, it was so powerful, full of so much energy and passion, that Luna knew exactly where the sound was coming from, and who was doing it.

It was Soul Glow! And he was singing!

She quickly scurried through the brush and trees, quickly coming across a small clearing.

She saw Soul Glow, sitting on a log, bleating his heart out into a melody.

Luna couldn't help but stand and stare, watching as he continued his song.

He was so in tuned to his own note that he knew not of the spectator.

And Luna made no attempts to be known as well.

She just stood there in silence, watching in awe like somepony would in a sporting event.

And just like in a sporting event, Luna had no idea what was about to happen.

"Ah am alone without har." Soul Glow continued, referring to Nightmare Moon. "Muh life bah jest one big blur. Ah'd give anythang tah see har 'gain. Ah can't believe dis bah dah end…"

As his singing ended, a single tear slid down his face, dripping onto the forest floor.

Even singing wouldn't fill the void or quell the confusion in Soul Glow's heart.

Nothing would, except Nightmare Moon.

But she was gone, and there was nothing anypony could do to bring her back.

"Soul Glow…" Luna muttered to herself, overcome with sympathy.

Too loud.

His sadness stopped immediately, his ears perking up in surprise.

With a twist of his neck, his eyes fell upon the alicorn.

"Git on outta har!" He hissed at her.

However, Luna did not leave, but held her ground.

No matter what he would say, no matter what tone he said it in, Luna would not leave.

She and Soul Glow would sort out their issues tonight, or not at all.

Looking at Luna no longer filled him with anger, but only depression, a deep depression that drained him of all of his energy, even the strength to yell.

Soul Glow took a heavy sigh, muttering

"Jest leave muh 'lone…"

Seeing Soul Glow in such a state hurt Luna, even more than when he was angry.

He might seem like a cold and ruthless savage to most ponies, but on the inside he was a scared and lonely soul.

All he really wanted was love. However, he had only received a toxic off brand affection from Nightmare Moon, and thus had no real understanding of true love.

He was unable to understand Luna's love towards him, and thus rejected it.

However, Luna would need to make him understand. Not just that she loved him, but what love really was, that Soul Glow no longer had anything to fear or anypony to be angry to.

She felt no fear nor grief, only moved with confident strides, as she took a seat next to Soul Glow on the log.

Soul Glow didn't say anything, he didn't even look at her.

His back was turned, his body still, perhaps pretending she didn't exist.

She wasn't afraid of him, not in the slightest.

The only thing she feared was how tonight may end up.

Soul Glow and Luna would either put their issues aside tonight, or not at all.

"It has been a difficult path for the both of us, Soul Glow." Luna began, trying to find the right words. "However, I believe that there is still a way for both of us. Nopony is ever too far gone, there is always hope."

And Soul Glow's singing actually proved just that to Luna.

Even if his words and song did hurt her, it still provided her with hope.

It showed that there was still a piece of Soul Glow from before, something inside of him that showed the evils of Nightmare Moon had not completely consumed him.

Luna thought it was a bit funny.

After years of careful manipulation from Nightmare Moon, she never quite managed to destroy his talent of singing.

"If we keep that in mind, then we should have no more problems." Luna attempted to sound optimistic. "Only solutions."

Luna honestly wasn't sure if even she believed her words. It did look like a long shot, a grand effort to change and remove years of manipulation and corruption.

However, Luna was able to put aside her anger, and remove Nightmare Moon from herself.

If she could do that, then Soul Glow could absolutely do the same.

However, it required an effort on his part which he didn't seem too keen on giving.

In fact, at the moment, Soul Glow still wished to be left alone.

Although most of his anger from before was gone with the wind, his singing acting as an outlet, he still felt contempt for the alicorn before him.

It was still ultimately her fault that Soul Glow was here to begin with.

He was still confused about Nightmare Moon.

Although he wasn't quite sure if she really was evil as Luna kept telling him, he didn't see her anymore as somepony pure of spirit, and that bothered him.

"Easy fer yah tah say…" Soul Glow mumbled under his breath, still facing away from her.

Luna raised a brow at him.

It was expected that difficulties would be reached, but she assumed anypony would want to sort out issues.

"While I very much understand your grief right now, it is best to keep a positive attitude, and remember to always be thankful for every opportunity in life."

In a fit of rage, Soul Glow twisted to face her.

"Who dah ah thank fer all o' dis?!" He cried out.

His sudden cry initially shocked the alicorn.

However, her surprise quickly subsided. She expected Soul Glow to respond with anger. She wanted the walls between them to be shattered. However, it just hurt so much to do so.

"Who dah ah thank fer all dah lies?!" He continued, throwing his hooves in the air in exclamation. "All dah abuse?!"

"Soul Glow, please…" Luna begged him, herself cringing underneath his onslaught. "I've offered you my love, my protection and care."

Even if Luna tried to resist, his words still hurt her.

Although Soul Glow didn't see it, Luna considered him somepony to look after, to care for, and ensure that he grows.

To hear him say such things to her, it stung Luna deeply.

She had to know, straight from the source, straight from Soul Glow.

"If this is not what you want, then please tell me what it is that you desire."

Soul Glow didn't hesitate.

He stood up from his seat, a new sense of energy rushing through him.

Luna saw just what it was.

Luna bit at her lip, a knot forming in her stomach.

His hooves, they were trembling, but not out of fear, but out of anger.

They were tense, what little muscle Soul Glow had were as hard as could be.

Seeing Luna had once again brought out emotions in the young colt, powerful, negative emotions.

Luna had much life experience in her long life, and thus could read most faces well.

She saw the look on Soul Glow's face, the fury and rage, and she knew what he was thinking.

He wanted to strike her, not with words but with hoof, he wanted to put her in pain.

Luna's eyes weakly fell to the floor. It was her fault that he was feeling this way, that he was in this situation.

He felt so much anger, so much fear and fury, that he wanted to hurt another pony, and that hurt Luna the most.

In Luna's mind, she herself was to blame, nopony else.

"Go ahead and hit me." Luna muttered, herself still sitting calmly on the log. "I deserve it for what I did to you."

Soul Glow raised a brow at her statement. Out of everything, he didn't expect Luna to say such a thing to him. He almost didn't believe what he just heard.

If it were to make Soul Glow feel better, she would let him strike her one thousand times over.

In response, Luna casted Soul Glow one solid gaze, and with unflinching eyes ordered

"Hurt me."

That's all Soul Glow needed.

He left the log, charging at her as she stayed seated.

"Dat's all ah know how tah dah!" He roared out to her.

In a flash, hoof made contact with face. All of Soul Glow's anger, rage, sadness, grief, and confusion flew forward, striking her cheek.

A moment of silence passed, Soul Glow's hoof still in contact with her cheek, fire blazing in his eyes.

Luna's gaze still held strong on Soul Glow, his blow seeming to have done nothing at all.

In all honesty, the punch didn't hurt her that much. It was similar to getting punched by a school filly.

Luna continued to stare at Soul Glow, himself growing rather uneasy, her eyes seeming to ignite with a new spark of determination.

"Soul Glow…" She spoke to him.

At this moment, the strike meant nothing to her. The pain which his impact had caused was nothing compared to the agony in her heart.

Even a filly could tell that this was a tense situation. Luna had to let all her feelings out at this very moment, or not at all.

"We are both two sides of the same coin. We both gave into anger and rage, believed that our cause was justified, persuaded by the forces of darkness, to let go of our morals and act on pure emotions and desires."

Luna wrapped her own hoof around Soul Glow's, pulling it away from her face as she continued to speak.

"I desired to overthrow my own sister, to shroud Equestria in darkness forever, just to fulfill a petty ego trip. I acted on the darkness of my own mind, I wasn't myself anymore. I wasn't Luna, but Nightmare Moon."

It was easy to remove the hoof from her face. Even if Luna was a woman, she was still much more physically stronger than the starved colt.

"And then I found you in the castle so many years ago. You were young, uneducated, and susceptible to anything that anypony told you. I took advantage of your family's poor situation, and used it to manipulate you to my side, blaming all of your burdens on Celestia."

Her iron gaze then faltered, her eyes softening as condolence set in.

"I took you under my wing, taught you hate instead of harmony. I taught you to laugh at other ponies' misfortunes rather than to love their accomplishments. I starved you, abused you, lied and corrupted you, and involved you in an affair that you had no business in in the first place."

A few tears sprinkled from her eyes, her voice cracking somewhat.

"And I am so very sorry for it. I wish I could just snap my hooves, erase the pain and torture that I've caused you, to hold you in my arms and tell you that everything is okay."

Luna took a heavy gulp, swallowing the salty tears, her tone returning to normal.

"However, it did happen, and I can't change the past, even if I wish I could."

She had to be firm with him now. There could be no other option.

"Like it or not, I consider myself the closest thing you have to a Mom, and it just pains me to see you this way."

There was that word again, Mom.

It was a sweet word, one that gave Soul Glow a little bit of warmth.

He remembered well when Luna gave him that private class, when she taught him family, and all the love and joy that goes with it.

'Mom' is what stood out to the young stallion the most.

It was the mother that provided love and happiness, cared for and nurtured her children, always putting her needs second to their own.

Is that really what Luna wanted to be to Soul Glow, a mom?

He always saw Nightmare Moon as a sort of motherly figure, until recently.

But now she was gone, and her ill deeds now somewhat known to the young colt.

"By helping you, I was trying to amend for what I did." Luna informed him. "I thought that if I helped you, I would be able to forgive myself for what I've done."

She then casted Soul Glow a firm stare, her words serious.

"But I realize now that only you can forgive yourself of your past. Only you can see the change inside of your heart, and that is why I forgive myself for my past actions, and now wish to move on from them."

Her gaze held strong on him, but a friendly smile now covered her face, extending a hoof out to him.

"Will you do the same?"

Soul Glow stared at the hoof, not sure just how to respond to such affection.

It was still hard for him to accept any love.

Soul Glow grumbled to himself, turning himself away from Luna, his mind racing.

He wanted love, he wanted to love and be loved, but wasn't sure how.

His mind and past had been filled with the lies of Nightmare Moon. Even the concept of friendship and love was twisted into something awful.

The last time he held out his hoof in friendship to another pony, it didn't end well for him.

He didn't want to deal with the pain that Nightmare Moon brought him once again.

He wasn't sure if he was ready for love or if love was ready for him.

Sensing Soul Glow's inner turmoil, Luna gave him an ultimatum.

"Soul Glow, do you want to leave or stay here?"

This question stopped Soul Glow, far more than Luna predicted.

Soul Glow's mind stopped, himself turning back towards Luna, his attention now solely based on that one question.

He had never heard anything like it before in his life.

It was always 'Soul Glow, come with me', or 'Soul Glow, eat that', or 'Soul Glow, time for bed'.

This was the first time he was given a choice, his own say in the matter, and he had no response to that.

He had no idea where to even begin.

"I get it, it's nice out here." Luna told him, herself gazing around the forest. "You could just lay down on the soft grass, close your eyes, and listen to the natural world around you. Nopony can hurt you out here, it's safe. You more than deserve it after what happened. You were manipulated for years by an evil villain of Equestria. In my many years of life, I haven't heard a story sadder than that. It happened, there's no changing that now. What's done is done, and what's done can never be undone. It's what you do after from here on out that matters."

She then turned her gaze back to Soul Glow, determination on her face.

"And I've decided what I'm going to do from here on out."

Anxiety was beginning to grow in the alicorn. She wasn't sure just how Soul Glow would respond to what she was about to say.

Taking a deep breath through her nostrils, she told him her true feelings.

"Soul Glow, I will dedicate myself to you, to your future, your education, and your upraising. I will be the mother that was taken away from you, and give you the love and kindness that you deserve. I will be there everyday, at the ready, willing and able to ease your pain, to be there and watch you grow into the fine stallion that you will one day be. I want to be your mother."

That confirmed it.

Soul Glow felt his hard gaze towards her falter, his tense muscles growing a bit more relaxed.

While he was still on edge, her words did seem to affect him.

He cast a glance at her face, eyeing her cheek.

By now, a sizable bruise had already formed, an unnatural purple mark on her skin.

Luna was trying to hide it, but Soul Glow could see the faint moisture in her eyes, she was holding back the pain.

The initial blow wasn't too bad, but as time grew, a sizable welt having already formed on her cheek, it throbbing every so often.

The Princess caught his gaze.

"This? It's nothing." Luna informed him, smiling through the discomfort. "It's just a little bruise."

"Dat's more den jest a lil' bruise." Soul Glow spoke, slight regret in his voice "Whah were ya thinkin', lettin' muh hit ya?"

Luna's eyes glanced towards the ground, a warm smile growing on her face.

"It's just that…that I love you."

Soul Glow's heart skipped a beat, his eyes growing wide, his muscles tensing up.

Sure, his parents from long ago probably told him that they loved him, but Soul Glow had no memory of the event nor them. As far as he was concerned, this was the first time he had ever heard those words.

He was loved, he was wanted.

He had never had that before.

Immediately, his eyes started to shine with a familiar wetness, as tears began to form.

He was overwhelmed with emotions.

Love was what hit him first.

Finally, there was somepony who loved Soul Glow, and he understood that she loved him. And he wanted to love her back.

He was truly engulfed by the warm emotions which Luna had for him.

But a heavy feeling of guilt was also present.

He had harmed the one pony who tried to love him.

His ears immediately hung low, his tail and head following the same motion.

He looked up at her, eyes large and full of regretful tears.

He felt weak, every muscle in his body now soft, as if a single gust of wind could blow him away.

"W-why did ah dah dat?" Soul Glow asked her, painful tears dripping from his face. "Why did ah wanna hurt ya?"

The unicorn couldn't believe what he had just done.

He hit her, he struck her, mocked her, yelled at her, lashed out like it was nothing.

All she did was try to love him, to care for him, and all he did was abuse and attack her.

She gave him warmth, and he responded with a bitter cold.

Soul Glow joined Nightmare Moon not because he was indeed an evil pony, but because he was a good pony.

With his mind twisted, all he thought was that he was bringing peace and justice to Equestria, to remove any and all evil from this land.

He thought that he was fighting on the side of love and friendship, but in actuality was going against it.

He thought he had found it with Nightmare Moon, but now knew it was within Luna.

And he had tried to reject her...

Luna saw the grief, the anguish and pain in Soul Glow.

Although Luna knew that the walls between them were finally down, it was still a painful process for both of them.

In comfort, Luna held out her hooves to Soul Glow, inviting him for a hug.

It was all she could think of doing.

Energy now gone, he collapsed, falling headfirst into the lap of Luna.

Sobs immediately came from the colt, his warm tears trickling onto her legs.

He choked, coughing as hot tears streamed down his face.

Luna wrapped her arms around the young colt, embracing him in a tight hug, a huge smile spread across her face, her eyes watering once again, this time in happiness.

Choosing her words carefully, Luna then thought of something, something that her own mother would tell the alicorn many moons ago when she was a filly.

"I'll love you forever. I'll like you for always." Luna whispered to Soul Glow, gently stroking his mane as she smiled. "As long as I'm living, my foal you'll be."

And then silence fell on the two, the sobs of Soul Glow now slowing, Luna still stroking his mane, humming a tune to glow both of their souls.

"By the way…" Luna began, wishing to tell this before she forgot. "Celestia says she's sorry."

For the first time since Nightmare Moon's departure, he felt safe, at peace once again.

As Luna affectionately brushed his mane with a hoof, he felt her love for the first time. It was overwhelming.

The radiation of her love was warm, almost hot.

It was the warmth of a mother's love, a feeling felt by many, but only truly appreciated by some.

And Soul Glow was definitely appreciating it.

He felt his eyelids suddenly grow heavy, the adrenaline of this situation having left his body.

For the first time in a long time, Soul Glow felt at peace, he felt safe and loved, and he knew it was all real.

Luna continued to lightly comb his messy mane with a hoof, shielding him from the cold air of the woods, as he slowly fell asleep.

* * *

Soul Glow found himself in a very similar atmosphere.

No longer was he in the loving hooves of Luna. No, he was in a place of no love or warmth.

It was cold, ice cold. The very air seemed to suck all the life, hope, and happiness from the young colt.

As he looked around, he realized the worst part of this situation.

He was alone.

His eyes widened, as fear once again took over.

Now that he was with Luna, he thought that he would never have to experience that feeling of helplessness again. However, it has not seemed that way.

"Luna?" He called out into the darkness.

A response called back to him from the dark.

"Soul Glow…"

However, that wasn't Luna, at least not fully.

Emerging from the darkness was a pony of the night, one which had haunted Soul Glow's dreams for the past several nights.

In front of him was Nightmare Moon, an amused smirk on her face, herself standing tall and proud.

"Oh, my little pony." She addressed him, smile never leaving. "What have you done to yourself?"

Soul Glow backed away from her, that feeling of helplessness now coming back in full force.

He felt powerless under her wrath, like Nightmare Moon could just do whatever she wanted and Soul Glow couldn't lift a hoof against her.

Soul Glow used to think of her as a friend, even somepony who he would gladly serve, give his life and future to, so long as she would be pleased.

However, he now saw Nightmare Moon for the full monster that she was.

He no longer bore any love or loyalty to her.

All he was now was afraid, and even that still pleased the dark one.

Her grin only grew wider as Soul Glow's face turned whiter, fear overwhelming him.

"Don't tell me that you've betrayed me? That you've now taken sides with Celestia and Luna, those two monsters?"

Without waiting for an answer, Nightmare Moon took long and confident steps towards the unicorn, growing closer with each second.

Her horn began to glow with lethal magic, the visible pleasure on her face only growing.

"N-No-No…." Soul Glow stuttered out, his mind filled with memories of his past dreams. "Not 'gain…."

He stepped back, his legs shaking so violently he almost fell backwards.

"Don't you remember what I told you, Soul Glow?" She asked him, licking her lips at his terror. "Nopony will ever love you, care for you, or want you."

Another step closer.

Soul Glow couldn't move, his legs locked up in panic.

His heart may have been racing, but his legs refused to.

It was as if every muscle in his body had shut down, as if he wasn't even a pony anymore, but just an object, a mere tool with no free will of its own.

To Nightmare Moon, he probably was just that.

"You are nothing without me." She mocked him, herself now within a hoof's distance. "You're a mad dog with no lease, and-"

A sudden and familiar cry broke her speech.

"Soul Glow!"

Both ponies twisted their heads towards the sound.

Emerging into the picture was somepony which Soul Glow couldn't be more glad to see.

His face, once overcome with fear, now glowed once again with love and happiness.

"Luna!" He called back to her.

Soul Glow broke out in a sprint, closing the distance between the two, and hugged her tightly.

"Nightmare Moon bah back!" He cried out, shaking in Luna's arms.

Now that Soul Glow had truly accepted Luna's love, she now had full access to his dreams and nightmares.

She sensed the pain that he was in, and didn't hesitate to come.

Luna looked up Soul Glow, casting a heavy glare at Nightmare Moon.

The evil one only responded with an amused smirk, not intimidated in the slightest.

She looked back at Soul Glow, petting his mane just as she did in the real world.

"She's not real, Soul Glow." She told him, attempting to sooth his nerves. "Not anymore."

Ever since the battle with those six ponies, that dark magic that surrounded Luna was banished, never to be seen again.

The essence of Nightmare Moon was now gone, her spirit and power lost.

"This is all just a nightmare, a trick of the mind. She can't hurt you anymore."

Even if Luna told him otherwise, he still wasn't sure.

Afterall, she seemed plenty real to him, or at least the fear was real.

It seemed like he could just reach out his hoof and touch her. Any moment he would be back with her, corrupted and hurting other ponies once again, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"Buh whah if she bah real?"

Luna gave Soul Glow a confident smirk, exclaiming with friendly gusto

"Tell her exactly what you think of her!"

These words hit Soul Glow deep.

Never in his life had he thought of purposely angering Nightmare Moon, let alone saying anything bad about her. If he would've thought of doing this just a few days ago, he would've hated himself forever.

However, he knew now what she was, what she thought of him, how little he meant to her even after all of his years and work dedicated to her.

She was no longer the angelic being that he once thought of her as.

Besides, as long as he was with Luna, he had nothing to fear.

With a shaky gulp, Soul Glow broke his embrace from Luna, himself timidly walking towards his fears.

Nightmare Moon just smiled on, her teeth gleaming with a pearly white evil that slashed at the darkness around them.

As he grew closer towards her, something was changing within the young colt, Luna could sense it.

It was so long ago, but Luna recounted when she first met Soul Glow, so many moons ago in The Castle of The Two Sisters.

Soul Glow was young and uncorrupted by her evil ways, pure as a pony could be, and he loved to sing.

Before he was completely turned evil, he would still sing around the castle, much to the displeasure of Nightmare Moon.

However, everytime he did, he had a shine in his eyes, a look on his face, one of pure focus. As if an earthquake could take place, the very trees being ripped away from the soil, and he could still carry on his tune.

He had that look right now, the focus, the shine.

And he was ready to show Nightmare Moon that he was no longer afraid.

"Ya need tah disappear!" Soul Glow shouted out at her.

The smirk on Nightmare Moon quickly dropped, herself raising a brow at Soul Glow's words.

Whatever response she had prepared, Soul Glow didn't give her a chance.

His voice rose into a booming voice that echoed throughout the dark realm.

"Ah thought ah told ya not tah come 'round har! Go on back home, ya need tah disappear! If ah hafta, ah'mma drag ya out bah yer ear!"

Doing just as he said, Soul Glow grabbed Nightmare Moon by her ear, yanking on it roughly, forcing her to follow.

All she could do was let out a grunt and groan as Soul Glow carried her away like a disobedient child.

"Git ya stuff mare, ya need tah disappear!" Soul Glow continued his rant filled song. "Ya low down dirty 'n ya goo' fer nothin'! Trespassin', sassin', goo' fer nothin'!"

He gave Nightmare Moon's ear another rough tug, herself yelping in pain.

Listen!" Soul Glow screamed. "Ah tell ya once, 'n ah tell ya twice! Three times comes 'round, 'n it doan look nice!"

Nightmare Moon batted away Soul Glow's grip on her ear, her mouth opening in reprisal.

Before she could take a breath, Soul Glow responded by shoving his hoof into her mouth, silencing her as he continued.

"Oh! Ya got somethin' tah say?! Ya betta back it up! Daggum! C'mon! Back it up!"

Soul Glow continued to push and shove the dark creature away, as Luna watched on.

This was a battle with his own demons, he had to do it himself. Besides, he was winning.

Under such abuse, Nightmare Moon slapped Soul Glow's hoof away from her mouth, her horn quickly glowed with black magic, her face twisting into a look that could kill.

However, through the powers of the dream realm, Soul Glow skillfully threw a punch at the feared and powerful Nightmare Moon, making contact with her cheek, herself quickly crumpling to the floor facefirst, unconscious.

"Oooh, dang! Sucka punch tah dah mouth!" Soul Glow cried out, a victorious smirk spread across his face. "Now yer makin' out with dah ground!"

He continued to stand over her unconscious figure, dancing in joy at his actions.

"Git on outta here, git on out!" He yelled, letting out a triumphant cry. "Git gone, take yer self home!"

As Soul Glow was celebrating his final victory over Nightmare Moon, he sensed a new presence entering the fray. Or rather, he smelled it.

It was a lingering, foul odor, one that seemed to fill the enter area. It was almost rotting, unwashed, and wild.

Soul Glow turned to where he smelled the stench, and his eyes widened once again.

It was Soul Glow, or rather, his evil former self.

Darkness surrounded him, a cool wind blew wherever he went, and a trail of ice marked his movements. The essence of Nightmare Moon still flowed through him, giving him incredible powers.

Even will all that power, rage and anger still bubbled inside the young unicorn. His eyes glowed with a burning red, his mouth twisted in a scowl.

This evil presence in the form of Soul Glow had just witnessed Nightmare Moon's downfall, and he wasn't very happy about it.

Soul Glow shot this figure a disgusted look, horrified at what he once was.

He would ensure that this evil thing would be nothing more than a bad memory, and would never be real again.

"Who dah ya think ya are?" Soul Glow snarled at him, charging at the evil pony. "Yer not comin' 'round deez parts!"

Inches apart from himself, Soul Glow continued to shout a barrage of notes.

"Let muh paint ya a picture! Dah door gonna hit ya where dah goo' Lord split ya!"

The evil presence opened his mouth, prepared to respond with some sort of retort.

"Got somethin' tah say?!" Soul Glow shouted at the figure, silencing him. "Back it up!"

Forcing him to comply, Soul Glow began to push and shove the evil force, as he continued.

"Now go, go on! Back, back it up!"

Just as Nightmare Moon did, the evil Soul Glow twisted around, horn at the ready.

With his free hoof, Soul Glow punched his doppelganger, it following a similar fashion to Nightmare Moon, falling to the floor.

"Ohh! Sucka punch tah dah mouth!" He cried out again, feeling much better. "Look at ya now, kissin' on dah ground!"

Soul Glow seemed to cheer, hoop and holler in victory.

"Git on outta here, git on out! Git gone, take yer self home!"

Luna watched on, a thin smile on her face, a gentle look in her eyes.

He had won over his inner demons, they had sorted out their issues and came together. Luna was no longer Nightmare Moon, and Soul Glow was no longer that evil pony from The Everfree Forest.

However, Luna knew that this battle may be won, but the war would still continue. Soul Glow would still need to learn the values of friendship and love, and the ponies of Equestria still wouldn't be too fond of either him nor her.

But whatever challenges would come, they would face it together

As mother and son…

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, it's good to see my baby, Soul Glow, all happy again! Keeping it real, things have not been peachy in my life at all as of late, but I don't want to get into that now!**

**The two songs used are "Share It With Me" and "Get On Outta Here" by the greatest band in the world, Family Force Five! I love those guys so much! They've helped me through these tough times!**

****Anway, don't forget to follow and favorite, and drop a comment! Next chapter is going to be a great one! Much love for Soul Glow!****


	11. A Friend In Shining Armor

**Author's Note: Hello there, it's been awhile since my last update, hasn't it? Sorry, I've just been super busy with work and school and all the other stuff going on. But enough of that, you're here to continue the epic story of Soul Glow! So, let's continue…**

**As always, this chapter has been critiqued by the very talented Misseljebel and Spirit of Fantasy. Check them out for cool stuff!**

* * *

"Wake up, sleepyhead!"

This sudden cry broke Soul Glow from his deep slumber.

After a few heavy blinks, Soul Glow's tired eyes glanced around the room, a small headache adorning his mind.

As Luna pulled open the curtains, a blinding light filled the room, Soul Glow covering his eyes in response.

Still dazed from this sudden, all Soul Glow could do was fumble around in his bed.

"Huh? Whah...?" Soul Glow mumbled through his morning breath, rubbing his eyes. "Where ah bah?"

Luna let out a light chuckle at Soul Glow.

"You're in Canterlot castle of course!" She exclaimed, extending out her bread filled hoof. "Here, Soli, I made you some food."

Soli?

He had never heard a nickname like that before, or really much nicknames at all, the only other example being 'No Glow' from that pony with the rainbow mane, whatever her name was.

"Food?" He whispered to her, eyes scrunched closed.

Upon its very mention, a low growl came from his stomach.

Ever since he had eaten his first substantial meal, he had always been hungry.

His body now knew that you could eat more than a morsel a day, and wanted to play catch up.

Even the mention of something to eat was enough to send Soul Glow in a craving fit.

"You slept like an Ursa Major last night!" Luna exclaimed. "It took me a while to wake you up. I was starting to get worried."

Even if he indeed did sleep like an Ursa Major, he still felt exhausted, his legs and mind tired, the events of last night having drained him physically and mentally.

It was a good drain, but still a drain nonetheless.

"Food?" He mumbled, still suffering from exhaustion.

Through considerable effort, Soul Glow opened his eyes for a moment, seeing that Luna was holding bread, baked fresh just for Soul Glow an hour earlier.

"Here you are." She held it to his hooves.

"Thank ya…" Soul Glow mumbled quietly, taking the bread.

Even as he took it, Soul Glow's face kept the same, exhausted look, his facial muscles hanging loosely, his eyes squinting.

"Are you alright, Soli?" Luna asked him, a pleasant smile on her face. "It's me, Luna."

Taking a bite of the bread, Soul Glow's focus began to return.

Each chew seemed to revitalize the colt, himself growing more aware of his surroundings.

"Luna?" He mumbled with a mouthful of food.

He turned to face her.

The memories of last night flooded into his tired mind, rejuvenating it with the emotions felt.

As he stared at the dark alicorn's face, love washed away his fuzzy and uncoordinated mind.

New life was given to Soul Glow in the presence of this pony.

A spark had lit off in his soul, glowing bright, even his eyes sparkled with this new feeling.

"Ah, you're awake!" Luna declared, seeing this for herself.

Luna got off the bed as Soul Glow continued to eat.

Although it was already fairly late in the morning, nearing more towards the afternoon, she figured it would be best to let Soul Glow sleep, especially after last night.

Indeed, it was an emotional rollercoaster for the both of them, just as fulfilling as it was taxing.

Soul Glow took slow but large bites from his bread, still fairly warm and soft.

He had never had bread before, or at least, couldn't remember it.

It was vastly unlike the celery which he had eaten, much softer, and tasted much better.

It didn't take long until the loaf of bread disappeared down Soul Glow's throat, himself still a bit hungry.

Seeing that he was done with his meal, Luna motioned Soul Glow to come to her.

"Come now, Soul Glow." She said. "We shall meet with my sister."

Luna then extended her hoof out to Soul Glow, a comforting smile on her face.

Soul Glow stared at the outstretched hoof in confusion.

The only time that Nightmare Moon was done this was to strike him for some mistake he made, but he could tell this was not the case.

This was a gentle hoof, not cold and hard like Nightmare Moon's.

He could trust this one.

Soul Glow stretched his hoof out, hesitant, but accepting.

Taking her hoof, the two walked out of his bedroom.

Taking a turn in the hallway which they had not taken before led them to a place where Luna wished Soul Glow to see.

The two ponies left the indoor space, arriving in a courtyard.

The courtyard was large, spacious, and decorated.

Large gardens, divided by bushes and trees stretched as far as the eye could see.

Plants of all kinds grew, giving the whole area a very vibrant appearance. Many marble and stone statues decorated the area, carved with precision, depicting animals, ponies, all sorts of characters. The nearby chirping birds gave a light melody which hung in the air.

Nevertheless, it was beautiful.

Soul Glow couldn't register anything else around him. He was on autopilot, his movements guided by Luna as he continued to stare at the scene.

He truly was struck into silence, as Luna led him through these foreign lands.

As the two continued to walk through the vast garden, Soul Glow stopped in his tracks.

He was awestruck by a bush of roses, the deep red color being on which he had never seen before.

Luna noticed this, turning her head to see Soul Glow staring at the rosebush.

He had never seen such colors and shapes before, it was something almost out of a dream.

He seemed at peace, curious, but at peace.

Perhaps this might be a good time for Soul Glow's first lesson, and Luna knew exactly how to go about it.

"Aren't they beautiful, Soul Glow?" Luna asked him, herself stroking one of the roses with a hoof.

Soul Glow stared at the flowers.

To him, it was the colors that were the most alluring to him.

In Everfree, most of the terrain was either green, brown, or some other dull color. Not often did he see such a dark shade of red on a plant. It was almost captivating to him, like encountering some mythological creature, something you have to see to believe.

"These flowers, plants, and bushes, they take time to grow, time and patience, affection too. Nothing starts in this world beautiful. Only through experiences and self growth can one truly be beautiful. Even the most pretty of ponies can be ugly if they do not allow love into their hearts. I believe that everypony begins life just the same, unknown to the concept of love and friendship. Some struggle in life more than others, but they all start out as seeds, small, rough, and dense, but eventually the seeds grow into something beautiful, alive." Her smile grew, turning her head to face Soul Glow. "If given the chance."

She saw Soul Glow as a budding flower, with much more to offer with time.

Sure, what he showed now may be good, but Luna knew that it was only the beginning. He would continue to grow and blossom, becoming a large rose in the gardens of Equestria.

Even if Luna had faith in him to do just that, he still seemed confused by her words.

To him, she was just talking about flowers, with no real relation to himself.

Although Luna liked to believe it was simply due to him still being fairly tired, the alicorn knew better.

Soul Glow had only truly accepted love and friendship into his heart last night, and although his soul was glowing once again, it was all new and unknown to the colt.

Perhaps a different explanation would work.

"Love and friendship are two of the most important forces in Equestria." Luna began, speaking with loving authority. "It is through love and friendship which all actions are carried out. It's a powerful force of nature, and should be treated with the proper respect it deserves. I believe that everypony needs to love and be loved."

Even as she spoke these words, Luna could sense conflict in the young one.

These ideas were all too new to him. He felt love, but he really had no idea what it was, or how to use it properly.

She didn't like it, not one bit.

"You can ask or tell me anything, Soul Glow." She told him with a light smile. "Afterall, that's how you learn things, from asking."

Soul Glow's eyes glanced at the ground, himself a little embarrassed to ask this, especially after Luna spoke so passionately about it.

However, even his dim mind knew that he was completely safe now, nothing at all to fear.

He trusted her now, and loved her. He had nothing to fear from her.

"It's just dat, ah can see ya." He says, pointing at her with a hoof. "Ah know dat yer real. Ah can touch 'n hug ya. Ah can't dah dat with love."

Luna smiled at this question.

It was a fine question, one which anypony would ask when faced with such a foreign concept.

"I understand, Soul Glow." She told him with reassurance. "Afterall, it's hard to believe in what you cannot touch or see."

Luna paused, taking a glance at her surroundings.

She noted that a light breeze had been blowing all morning, the flowers and branches waving in the winds.

Although Luna couldn't see the wind, she knew that it was having an effect on the environment around her.

Turning back towards Soul Glow, she asked

"Let me ask you, can you see love? Have you ever seen it?"

He gave this question probably more thought than it deserved.

He had seen a great deal of things in his life, Nightmare Moon, rocks, trees, other ponies, but couldn't recall seeing love.

It had no form, he couldn't see it.

Soul Glow shook his head.

Just as he did this, a light gust of air blew.

Luna pointed at a nearby bush, it shaking slightly in the breeze, a single leaf disconnecting from the rest.

Their eyes followed the leaf as it danced through the air, slow but sure.

Luna's horn glowed with a dark purple hue, and soon the leaf took on the same color.

Defying the wind and bending to Luna's magic, the leaf slowly drifted towards the two ponies.

Once it came within reach, Soul Glow took it, examining it closely.

It was just a leaf, same as all the others, the only difference being that it was moved by the wind, something with no form, that he couldn't see.

He looked back up at Luna, expecting an answer to this.

"I've never seen the wind. I see the effects of the wind, but I've never seen the wind." Luna explained, a smile spreading on her face. "There's a mystery to it."

Soul Glow nodded at this, even his dim mind understanding the metaphor.

Another gust of wind blew by, brushing against their fur.

Soul Glow shivered slightly upon this.

"You can't catch the wind, or see the breeze." Luna responded. "And yet you can feel it, understand that it's there, even if you'll never see it."

Soul Glow thought about this.

For his whole life, he had been focused on the physical side of life. He knew food was real because he could eat it, he knew Nightmare Moon was real because she spoke to him, but love was something different. He knew that Luna felt great affection for him, as he did for her, but love was never a separate entity. It required the presence of two ponies to be a force of nature.

As if reading his mind, Luna addressed his doubts.

"Love is very much similar." She informed him. "You can only see love with your heart and mind."

She turned to him, with an unfamiliar face on her.

It was still warm and loving, sure, but it was also a bit stern, controlled. She wanted Soul Glow to do something.

"Use it now." She requested, never letting go of her motherly tone. "What do you see through your mind's eye?"

Closing his eyes, Soul Glow saw only darkness. However, his emotions were still active.

He could still feel the cool breeze, hear the chirping of the birds, and smell the fresh flowers which decorated the ground.

Even with his vision darkened, he knew that Luna was near him, he could sense her. He could feel the love radiationing off of her, and could almost see it.

He thought more.

He knew where he was right now, he was with Luna, in a place of safety and comfort.

He didn't want to leave.

"In mah mind, ah'm where ah belong." He finally spoke.

"And where do you belong?" She asked.

He thought some more.

Soul Glow didn't like conflict, he learned that from his time with Nightmare Moon. All he wanted was peace, not the peace that Nightmare Moon was offering, but real peace, peace and love for all creatures in Equestria.

"With ya, 'n everypony." He answered. "All o' us 'appy, 'n gettin' 'long."

Perhaps even with those six ponies from before. He didn't hate them like he used to, only dim apprehension towards the ponies. But there was nothing more he wanted than to be at peace with everypony.

"Do you see anypony in particular?" Luna asked him.

It was hard to make out, really it was just many different ponies, only one being discernible to the colt.

It was a pony's face, dark in complexion, and full of love and friendliness.

"In muh mind's eye, ah see yer face." Soul Glow stated. "Ya smilin' as ya show muh grace."

Soul Glow felt warm as he continued to stare at Luna with his mind's eye, a good kind of warm. As if he was just plunged into a nice and hot bath after a day out in the snow, it was relieving.

He was being wrapped in the warmest of blankets, in the most affectionate of hugs, and he didn't want to let go, not ever.

"What do you feel when you think about love?" She asked.

This was an impossible question.

Soul Glow couldn't explain that feeling, his grammar skills simply weren't up to par with such a task.

All he could do was feel, and what he felt was simply magical.

It was as if he was tucked into bed, the softest, warmest blanket wrapped around him, a nightlight at his bedside, and mommy's kiss still fresh on his cheek. He was both safe and secure, he had nothing to fear, no anger or grief, only love.

Given the blank expression on his face, Luna quickly realized this.

He would probably need some help in that regard.

"It's a warm, fuzzy feeling, isn't it?" She asked him. "And also confusing."

That was also true.

Despite how good love felt for Soul Glow, it was still all too new for him.

He had no real idea how to harness or express it besides the basic primal instincts. When he saw Luna, he knew that he loved her, that he wanted her to be safe. In a weird way, Soul Glow wished for Luna to be tucked into that warm and soft bed with him.

He wanted to stay by her side forever.

"Once you fully accept love and friendship, even if I'm not with you, physically by your side, you'll never be alone again." She told him. "I'll always be with you."

That sounded very good to Soul Glow, himself smiling widely upon hearing this.

Although she kept herself calm on the outside, Luna was practically giddy with excitement in what she just did.

She sounded just like her big sister!

Luna had spent all of last night coming up with things to say, inspiration to draw on, and how to handle such situations and questions when they came.

She had taught Soul Glow a very important lesson today. She was so proud of herself!

While Luna was enjoying her inner emotions, Soul Glow was doing the opposite with his.

Soul Glow recalled his childhood, and how lonely it was.

Although he had no memories prior to meeting Nightmare Moon, he could certainly recall everything after in great detail.

He used to look towards those times with a smile, but that outlook had changed drastically over these few days.

Now, with all the lies of Nightmare Moon now revealed, it was safe to say that Soul Glow didn't have a very good childhood.

Soul Glow running away from home, the very memories of it and his parents all gone, thrown away, he was a blank slate, just left at the hoofs of Nightmare Moon.

It was lonely, cold, and painful. It was not a very good time for him.

However, when he was with Luna, he felt safe, warm, and happy.

This was a very good time for him.

Soul Glow never wanted to go back to where he was, he wanted to stay by her side forever.

If love and friendship was a way of doing just that, he was on board.

He was ready to cast aside his past, and open his heart to love, no matter how scary and unfamiliar this new emotion was.

He was embracing true love and friendship for the first time.

Just being near this alicorn, it was radiating.

He could feel her love and compassion for him, it was a hot sensation, it almost burnt his fur.

Soul Glow felt his own love for her too, it was manifesting itself, bubbling inside of him, and it was giving him the energy and strength to officially declare it for her.

This energy growing inside of him caused him to shake and jitter slightly, as if he had the energy of a newborn foal.

As Luna was about to ask him what was the matter, she could see it, feel it.

The spark, the glow in his eyes, the clench of his jaw, she had seen this last night and knew what it meant.

Soul Glow's lips quivered, almost seemingly to mouth words.

He was about to sing.

Taking a deep breath, Soul Glow held a solid stance.

His words almost seemed to harmonize with the environment around him, or perhaps it was the other way around.

When he sang his song, it was as if the world stopped, focused entirely on him.

"Goo' bye sorrow, goo' bye hurt." Soul Glow began, his tone slow yet firm. "Ah left dat state 'n all it's worth. Ah'm tansending space 'n time, ah'm travelin' at dah speed 'o light."

His voice suddenly took a sharper pitch.

"Affection...reflection…" He continued. "Dis bah dah new direction...conspiracy bah idiocracy…"

Pointing a hoof at Luna, he declared

"Ya radiate light's transparency…"

Camly, he slowly whispered

"Generation...radiation…"

Suddenly, Soul Glow's eyes shot open, himself screaming with gusto

"Ya bah dah chosen nation!"

This sudden shout surprised Luna, herself raising a brow in question as Soul Glow continued.

"Hey, ya!" He aggressively called out to Luna, screaming more than singing at this point. "Ya blowin' muh mind 'gain! Outta muh skull, ah feel dah levitation! Ah feel muh skin crawlin' off o' muh skull!"

As if shot with sudden pain, Soul Glow grabbed at his head, rubbing his temples as he shouted

"Ah feel yer radiation!"

Although the metaphor was quite different to the one which Luna had been using, she understood well what he meant.

Love was like radiation, it was warm, even burning at some points, and once felt, always was with you.

Luna had given Soul Glow a large dosage of radiation, one which he wasn't used to, and was now coping in his own way.

"Ah wanna bah a radiator jest like ya." He continued to sing to Luna. "Radiate it on muh, burn it on through."

"'Ello future, 'ello birth." Soul Glow returned to his calm voice. "Dis bah yer newborn universe. Dar bah no wrong 'er right Ya 'ave become a source o' light."

His voice returned once again to the high pitched tone from earlier

"Conceptual, celestial. Ya bah extraterrestrial." He sang to Luna. "Creator, vindicator...ya bah dah radiator!"

As if exploding with new energy, Soul Glow once again found himself shouting at Luna, shouting with the strength of ten stallions.

"Hey, ya! Ya blowin' muh mind again! Outta muh skull, ah feel dah levitation! Ah feel muh skin crawlin' off o' muh skull!"

Soul Glow's face twisted, his mouth bended and curved unnaturally as he took a very deep breath, delivering his final verse.

"Ah feel yer radiatiooooooon!"

Just as suddenly as his song started, it came to a halt, himself panting heavily.

Luna stared at him, mouth agape by his words.

Although she had witnessed Soul Glow singing three times now, this was unfamiliar to her.

This was the first time Soul Glow had sung not out of anger or happiness, or even in vengeance, but out of pure love and good nature.

The song wasn't about beating up Nightmare Moon, but about his love for another pony, for Luna.

She let out a smile, her eyes growing a bit wet.

It flattered her beyond belief, overwhelmed her that a pony could display such emotions towards her. It made her feel special, honored even.

She had put love in the otherwise dry Soul Glow, and sure it took time, but now he was ready to return that love in kind.

He was already blossoming into a flower, but Luna felt like he could become a whole garden of affection in time.

Still at a loss of words, but completely satisfied by this lesson, Luna motioned once again for Soul Glow to take her hoof.

Doing just that, the alicorn led him out of the garden, and towards the dining room, where her sister was.

* * *

Wiping her face with a napkin, Celestia moved her now empty plate away from herself, satisfied by her breakfast.

It had been just a few days since Soul Glow's arrival, and already Celestia was feeling more comfortable with his presence in the castle.

Upon Luna's request, the castle guards had stopped keeping an eye on the colt, treating him as a resident of the castle now, just like any other pony.

Even if her direct contact with Soul Glow was limited so far, Celestia could see the potential in the pony, just like her sister could.

The eldest sister believed that whatever darkness Soul Glow would go through in his life, love would light the way for him, whether that be from the alicorn princesses or others.

Just as Celestia put a cup of juice to her lips, the dining hall doors opened to her sister and Soul Glow, the sounds of his giggles ringing through the room, a result of a joke told by Luna.

Celestia smiled at this.

As soon as Soul Glow and Luna had walked into the room, the alicorn noticed a change of heart within the unicorn.

The way he walked, the way he talked, even the expression on his face showed the progress he had made.

He seemed much more alive, motivated than he was before. Whatever spark had left seemed to return. His soul once again glowed with positive emotions.

Although Luna was vague and said little about what took place last night, Celestia could tell that things had improved.

Soul Glow wasn't hostile, not even to Celestia, not in the slightest.

He had changed so much in that one night, and for the better.

It was time for the next step, to take initiative while the opportunity was still there.

Celestia eyed Soul Glow as he slurped down the last of his water, thinking of just how to word this.

While the war may have been won, the aftermath still laid in their wake.

The delicateness of this situation may have gotten better, but had not subsided, and probably wouldn't for some time.

But as the elder sister saw Soul Glow, a gleaming smile on his face, she felt as if the whole world was alright.

"I see you're looking much happier now." Celestia smiled at the young one.

Still greedily drinking his water, Soul Glow could only nod, a few drops trickling from his chin as he did so.

It was still unfamiliar territory to Soul Glow, he had only scratched the surface. However, this mere scratch revealed to Soul Glow the rich cornucopia of love which had yet to be experienced.

"You have made great progress in such a short amount of time." Celestia continued. "When I first saw you, you were in a bad shape, but now, I can feel it clearly, your soul glows with love. I believe that you can only elevate, Soul Glow." "With new experiences will come a new understanding of the world around you, and a greater appreciation for what life has to offer."

Soul Glow stopped his drinking, turning to face the Princess.

Although many of these big words were unknown to him, he could tell by the tone and firmness of her voice, what she said was important.

With the limited attention span that he could give, Soul Glow focused it all on Celestia. She

"It's time for you to make some friends." She spoke calmly to him.

Soul Glow was rather nervous at such a prospect, himself squirming with anxiety.

He put his cup of water down, his head hanging a bit low as he recounted

"Nightmare Moon was mah friend, 'n she betrayed mah…"

In his mind, having too many friends may lead to a similar situation.

He had Luna and Celestia, those two seemed like all he needed.

Who says somepony may not turn on him like she did? Use and abuse him?

It was certainly a place where he did not want to go back to.

Celestia held up a hoof, silencing his doubts.

"Ponies who keep you in conflict with other ponies aren't really your friends, because friendship is a peacemaker."

Having much more of a connection with her, Soul Glow turned towards Luna in question, herself nodding at her sister's words.

"Your heart is open." Celestia told him. "The more you allow ponies inside of it, the bigger and healthier it shall become."

"Having friends is an amazing experience, Soul Glow!" Luna beamed at him, supporting her sister. "To get out there and expand your horizon, meet new ponies and develop new experiences, it's something you should never miss out on."

Soul Glow thought about this, but was rather hesitant, even if it received the blessings of Luna and Celestia.

He recalled all the ponies he could remember in his life, and was saddened by what he found.

Nightmare Moon was the first pony he could remember, and knew now of the torture she put him through. Then there were those six ponies from Ponyville. Although he knew now that they weren't the evil monsters he thought them to be, they still rubbed him the wrong way. The only ponies who he could recall treating him well were right in front of him, the Princesses.

But even those two were not seen fully as equals in his eyes.

Although he appreciated Celestia, and wished her well to the highest of his power, Soul Glow had a much stronger bond with Luna.

He looked up to her as a mother, one which he could trust and rely on.

He didn't need any other pony. He received enough love and compassion from her. All he wanted was Luna, that was all he needed.

"Ah jest wanna stay with Luna." Soul Glow came to the conclusion. "Ah love har 'n ah wanna make sure she bah 'appy."

Luna blushed at such a display of emotions.

The Princess of the Night was right, he really did have much love to offer other ponies.

He was a freshly found vein of resources, still flowing strong and proud, having much to give. It was up to Luna to tap into this new vien, to ensure that all of Equestria shall experience the life and love that Soul Glow surely had.

Celestia smiled, happy that her sister received such love from another

"And why is that?"

Coming to an answer was simple for even the simple minded Soul Glow.

"She bah dah first pony tah love muh." Soul Glow recounted. "Ah'd dah anythang fer har, even fightin' Nightmare Moon."

"Even Nightmare Moon?" Celestia jokingly echoed, knowing he'd have trouble overpowering a school filly, much less Nightmare Moon.

"Even Nightmare Moon!" He cried out in confidence, swinging his hoof for emphasis. "Har, 'n every other evil pony!"

"And you'd do very well, Soul Glow." Luna encouraged Soul Glow with a smile.

It was that smile, and every other smile that Soul Glow desired.

He now knew the fake smiles of Nightmare Moon, the words of love which she gave, and how little they meant. Luna's smile was much brighter, much more powerful, and filled Soul Glow's frame with warmth.

The love that Nightmare Moon gave him was no love at all, but pain and anguish.

The love he shared with Nightmare Moon was dirty, muddy and cloudy. But now, to Soul Glow, love was as clear as the color of water.

He wanted to keep the waters as crystal clear as they were now.

In light of hearing Soul Glow's declaration, an idea sparked inside the eldest sister's mind.

There was nothing more that Celestia wished for more than for Soul Glow to be happy, and to experience and develop his new understanding of friendship and love to the fullest extent.

The Elder Princess was wise, and knew very well that keeping Soul Glow in the castle wouldn't do him any good, but that separating him from Luna and her love would only lead to problems.

To Celestia, there was only one option which she could see clearly, one which would allow Soul Glow to create new experiences in new places, all the while never being too far from his mother.

And from what Soul Glow said he was willing to do for her earlier, perhaps this idea may be well received.

"Would you say that you'd want to protect Luna?" Celestia asked.

Once again, this answer to this question quickly followed.

"Yessum!" Soul Glow replied with gusto, slapping the table with his hoof in exclamation. "Protect har 'gainst anythang!"

After all she'd done for Soul Glow, he'd happily brave any storm or ride any hurricane, as long as it was for Luna.

All the young Princess had to do was request it, and he'd crawl through fire for her.

Only one real occupation was in Celestia's mind for Soul Glow, one which may do well by him.

The regal Princess had given it thought last night, but now knew for sure.

"What do you think of becoming a royal guard?" She questioned.

The unicorn titled his head at her proposal.

"A royal guard?" Soul Glow asked, not understanding such a title.

Even Luna raised a brow at her sister, curious as to her suggestion.

After what just happened, and the weak physical state that Soul Glow was in, being thrown into the duties of a royal guard didn't make much sense to the alicorn.

"Yes, Soul Glow, a royal guard." Celestia smiled, nodding her head at the two. "They act as bodyguards, used for ceremonial purposes, and help protect the citizens of not only Canterlot, but Equestria, from danger."

"But they also help to protect us." Luna added. "We are rarely ever far from a royal guard or two."

Soul Glow heard what Celestia said, but what Luna said interested him much more.

"So, whah yer sayin' bah dat ah'm with ya all dey?" He asked, pointing at her with a hoof.  
"Yes, Soul Glow." Luna told him. "Or at least most of the day."

Of course, there would be the regular patrol, as well as training and the like. But if he were a royal guard, then of course time would be spent with a royal.

Although Soul Glow really didn't have the faintest idea of what being a royal guard really entailed, he knew that he would be with Luna, and really, that was all that mattered to him. Not only would he be with her, but he would also be protecting her against ponies who wished to do harm, he would finally be doing good, rather than supporting evil.

Soul Glow's mind was made up.

He wanted to be a royal guard.

Staying close to Luna, protecting her against any and all threats, this pleased him greatly. It was an easy answer.

"Ah wanna bah a royal guard." He confidently told Celestia.

Celestia nodded at his answer, smiling.

"I can make a request to place you as my personal guard." Luna offered to Soul Glow. "I too wish to keep you close to me."

Luna really didn't need a personal guard, her alicorn powers were far greater than that of any guard and Equestria was in a state of peace once again. It was unlikely that a threat would emerge anytime soon.

However, she wanted to keep Soul Glow close to her. Not just to fulfill the mother-son bond, but for his sake.

He would need a steady and strong hoof to guide him through life's troubles, and Luna wished it would be her hoof.

Additionally, Luna had known about The Royal Guard long before her banishment to the moon, and was quite pleased with their results.

If The Royal Guard was good at one thing, it was good at taking the average pony, and turning them into respectable, chivalrous, and honorable ponies, full of loyalty and courage.

Dependable, strong, honest, these were all traits of those in the guard, and instilling these values onto Soul Glow would do him well.

Being in The Royal Guard, having him get out there in the world, meet new ponies, gain new experiences, and instill these values into him may be the best thing for Soul Glow.

Even if it was just a suggestion made by Celestia, it could prove to be something far greater.

If Soul Glow wished to be a royal guard, all Luna wanted to do was support him all the way.

But first, she would need to speak to a certain somepony on the matter...

* * *

"And that is why I believe you're perfect for this role." Luna finished her speech.

It was long winded, well groomed, and prepared, but her recollection of past events was finally over.

She had dumped her entire story of Soul Glow onto the shoulders of this unicorn, and it was much to take in.

He knew of Soul Glow's arrival to Canterlot as soon as his sister and her friends had brought him.

He knew of the battles which he engaged in, how he fought his sister, even harming her in minor ways.

Despite all this, he wished to meet him.

He was honestly a bit fascinated by Soul Glow.

Just as Celestia and Luna had thought over countless times, Soul Glow's case was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

However, even if he was interested in seeing where this could go, his mind was still filled with doubt.

"I just don't think I can handle something like this." Shining Armor stated, scratching his mane in contemplation. "Sure, I can crack jokes and be nice, but actually changing him? Teaching him right from wrong, and being a model pony?"

Luna smiled at Shining Armor's doubts.

She had only known of this stallion for a few days but already heard so much about him.

He was a rising star amongst the royal guard, second only to the Captain himself. His strength, wits, and headstrong nature was notorious. His compassion and kind attitude was also well known, even having a deeply romantic relationship with the Princess of Love herself, Cadence.

There weren't many ponies quite like Shining Armor, nor many ponies which Luna would have trust in.

She wished for Soul Glow to learn from only the best ponies around him, and knew that Shining Armor was one such pony.

"Haven't you heard, Shining Armor? Even the most mild of precipitation can make a desert bloom." Luna told him, a smile on her face. "And you have your little sister, Twilight, and we all know how she turned out. I'm positive you had some hoof in her success."

The unicorn blushed at such a compliment.

"Hehe." He chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I like to think so."

In truth, the unicorn couldn't be prouder of his sister.

Not only was she the sole personal student of Princess Celestia, but had also just recently saved Equestria from eternal darkness. Not to mention, she had quite the large brain.

Although he had trained and supervised the training of many guards, this was a new situation.

Not only was Soul Glow lacking even the most basic of education, but there was also his past…

Shining Armor personally didn't like to judge ponies based on their past. In his long lasting career as a guard, he had seen the most lowlife of ponies come into the academy, and walk out a whole new pony.

Who's to say that it wouldn't work for Soul Glow?

"He's not bad, Soul Glow just needs some nudging in the right direction." She told him. "A pony who he can lean on and trust."

"What about you, Princess?" Shining Armor asked. "Aren't you already that to him?"

Of course she was, she was that and always will be.

"I never want him to be totally dependent on one pony." Luna sighed, knowing full well how dangerous that could be. "I love having him around, I really do, and I want to be there for him whenever he needs help. But, I know it'll be selfish to keep him all to myself. He needs more friends, more connections in life if he'll get that happy ending I pray for him. Plus, he could use a positive male role model in his life. I'm not sure hanging around with two Princesses will teach him much…"

Shining Armor gave this more consideration.

Honestly, he wanted to meet the pony who fought with his little sister. Not necessarily for revenge, but to gain a better understanding of the colt.

After all, if characters such as Celestia and Luna are eager to give him a second chance, then surely there must be something more to him.

"Alright, Princess." Shining Armor finally answered, nodding his head at her. "If you have faith in me, then that's all I need."

But still, even if that question was answered, a new question manifested itself.

"When should I meet this guy?"

Luna smiled at Shining Armor's initiative.

"Right now."

* * *

Celestia regally clapped her hooves together, a smile on her face, as Soul Glow just finished his song.

It really was a nice one, despite his accent hindering her understanding at times.

He really did have talent.

Even with having no teacher, and living in a forest for most of his life, Soul Glow had far more talent than other ponies.

Although Soul Glow felt uneasy by Luna's absence, it wasn't much which couldn't be managed.

Luna had promised Soul Glow that she would be back shortly, and thus trusted her with all of his heart, even if it was pained by her absence.

It wasn't all bad though.

Having worked up an appetite from his singing, he ate at his fifth bowl of cereal, any sugar and processed ingredients taken out. His body had only recently been acquainted with substantial amounts of food, and it wanted to reap all that it could sow.

Besides, his trust in Celestia also grew as a result of last night.

He no longer saw her as the monster that he was told she was. Luna ensured that whatever ill will Soul Glow felt for Celestia was removed, replaced with the desire of a new start.

If Luna told him that Celestia was a trustworthy pony, then that was now law.

As if by some instinct, Soul Glow sensed Luna's arrival, before even Celestia could tell.

Twisting his head from his food, he saw Luna, walking towards them, a smile on her face.

Returning this smile in kind, Soul Glow hopped out of his chair.

"Luna!" Soul Glow cried out, running towards her in glee. "Yer back!"

His race grinded to a halt, himself noticing another pony behind her, one which he had never seen before.

He was tall, not quite as tall as Soul Glow, but near identical.

However, he was much more muscular than Soul Glow. In fact, his whole body seemed to be carved out of stone, and was firm and filled, unlike Soul Glow's scrawny and frail frame.

The pony's mane was also similar to his own, only Soul Glow's was a bit longer, and much more messier, as opposed to the luscious blue locks of this stranger.

Even if this new pony seemed intimidating, the friendly expression on his face said otherwise.

"Soul Glow, this is Shining Armor." Luna introduced him. "He's second in command of The Royal Guard."

Shining Armor smiled at the other unicorn, extending his hoof in a shake.

"Hello there." He said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Soul Glow tried to respond, but couldn't, not even to shake his hoof.

For most of his time in Canterlot, Soul Glow had been exposed to only Celestia and Luna, with a royal guard or chef dabbled in.

Nonetheless, neither Luna nor Celestia were bodybuilders by any means. They were strong in their own ways, but not very physically imposing.

To see a stallion so tall, so large, and strong, it was almost intimidating.

But it was also slightly alluring, exciting even.

Soul Glow's white face turned red as a large blush exploded.

Sweat beads formed on his forehead, the unicorn mumbling and stuttering uncontrollably.

Soul Glow's mouth moved as if he was speaking, but only sounds came out, no words.

Shining Armor turned to Luna, not at all understanding his babbling.

"Uh...what?"

Luna giggled at this interaction.

"Now Soul Glow, you must remember to speak _clearly _and _concisely_." She told him. "Just because I can understand you doesn't mean everypony can."

It was true.

Luna could understand what Soul Glow said clearly as the day, herself having known him for most of his life.

However, even Celestia had her troubles understanding him every so often. Others like Shining Armor, they had to really focus to decipher much of anything.

Under the request of Luna, Soul Glow cleared his throat, and tried again.

His voice was still shaky and timid, but was much clearer.

"Ah…uh…uh…" He mumbled out, face still red. "Hiya?"

Shining Armor let out a light chuckle at the unicorn's response.

He knew from Luna that he was a little weird, but never expected something quite like this.

When Shining Armor heard he was going to meet the former minion of Nightmare Moon, he didn't expect shyness.

Maybe slight aggression or coldness, something fitting of one who once mingled with the darkness, but not giddy embarrassment.

This only increased his curiosity within the unicorn.

"So, I hear you want to be a royal guard?" He asked, smiling at him.

Soul Glow nodded at this.

"Ah wanna guard Luna." He said. "Keep har safe, stay with har."

Shining Armor knew from Luna that she was a sort of motherly figure to Soul Glow now, one which he could rely on and seek support as he grew.

The stallion thought the protectionism and love that Soul Glow showed this new mother was sweet. It somewhat reminded him of when he was young.

But Shining Armor also knew that simple protection was not the only, let alone most important, reason for Soul Glow's invitation.

Luna wanted Soul Glow to gain life experience, and wished for Shining Armor to ensure just that.

"You'll learn so much from the guard, outside of protecting the Princesses." Shining Armor told Soul Glow. "You'll travel, meet all sorts of different ponies, learn so many different trades. Your mind and experiences will grow just as much as your body will."

Speaking of that…

Shining Armor noticed it when he first walked in.

Hay, even a blind pony could see that Soul Glow was in hardly any shape to fight. The mere weight of royal guard armor may be too much of a load for him.

Shining Armor would have to train him as well, weights, cardio, everything. It didn't matter if Equestria was in relative peace now, a royal guard always needs to be ready for combat.

"And in this line of work, you'll definitely get some meat on your bones." Shining Armor added as he scanned over Soul Glow's light frame.

"Whah dah ya mean?" Soul Glow asked, raising a brow.

This was a saying unknown to him, he had no idea at all what this unicorn was talking about.

Shining Armor badly tried to hide his growing smile.

Although he knew it was vain, there was always something in this strong stallion that liked to show off, to prove his strength and wit in the guard, and Soul Glow had just presented an opportunity for that.

"Check this out."

In a slow and exaggerated curl, Shining Armor's bicep tightened, swelling up sizably.

He worked hard on his strength, and didn't mind showing it to those who would watch.

Celestia and Luna both rolled their eyes at such a flaunt.

However, Soul Glow's eyes lit up at such a display.

Clapping his hooves together in glee, Soul Glow let out a squee, his face a deep red.

"How long till ah get muscles like dat?!"

Shining Armor chuckled at Soul Glow's enthusiasm.

"Let's get you eating regularly first." He responded.

To be fair, there were many issues to address before Soul Glow could even think about weight lifting.

It would take time just to get him to normal weight, let alone gaining the strength that a royal guard would need.

However, with a proper diet, the right supplements and training, as well as the coaching of Shining Armor, even Soul Glow could be turned into a strong pony.

He would make a fine guard, Shining Armor could see the potential in him. He always had an eye for talent.

As he heard from Luna, Soul Glow knocked out Nightmare Moon in one punch during a dream. Not just any pony could work up the courage for that!

"A good meal can do wonders for your body." Shining Armor stated.

The proper diet, especially in Soul Glow's case, would be crucial for him to gain the mass necessary for this line of work.

"Ah had some carrots earlier." Soul Glow's mind recalled this morning. "'N bread 'n cereal tah."

Soul Glow found himself chuckling once again at what the unicorn said.

"You'll need a little more than that to grow muscle."

Shining Armor's face suddenly took a more serious shape.

If Soul Glow was honestly going to be a royal guard, he would have to put in a lot of work, and it wasn't going to be easy, not by any means, and that was something which Shining Armor wanted to make sure he knew.

"I won't lie, it'll be hard for you, Soul Glow." Shining Armor began. "You'll be sore constantly, pushed to the very limits of your body and beyond. That appetite of your's, even if big now, will only grow more insaciable. You'll have to wake up early and go to sleep late. Time will be needed to get you to proper form. Even with our best workout programs and supplements, it'll take weeks until you qualify for even the entrance exam. Are you ready for such a commitment?"

Soul Glow really didn't understand what 'workout programs' or 'supplements' were, but by the look on Shining Armor's face, he could understand that it was no joking matter.

Soul Glow glanced around the dining hall, seeking some sort of answer.

Eventually, his eyes fell on the warm face of Luna, still smiling at him in comfort.

It was her smile, her happiness, that's what he wanted the most, and he wanted to protect that.

Just one look at her face was all he needed to come to a decision.

"Fer Luna, Ah'd dah anythang!"

Shining Armor nodded at him, saying

"If that's what you want, Soul Glow."

And with that, Shining Armor turned away and towards the door.

"I'll make sure to put in a good word to Captain Iron Hoof." Shining Armor informed the three ponies. "He handles the new recruits."

Shining Armor flashed Soul Glow a smile, saying

"I'll catch you later, alright bud?"

Soul Glow couldn't respond once again, himself transfixed, mouth gaped open as he watched Shining Armor leave the room, Celestia accompanying him.

Only Soul Glow and Luna remained.

"So, Soul Glow…" Luna turned towards him, a grin on her face. "What do you think of your new friend?"

There really wasn't anything that Soul Glow could say.

Even if he wanted to, which he did, all he could do was stand and stare, even if Shining Armor was now out of sight.

He may be gone, but Soul Glow still felt his presence, the air which the stallion left behind.

Afterall, this was the first masculine stallion Soul Glow had experienced, his only encounters with others being with women.

Luna knew their meeting had gone well, the expression on Soul Glow's face was all she needed to confirm this.

Mouth hung open, all he could mumble was

"He bah purty amazin'..."

* * *

**Author's Note: This was a long one, and a very good one I think, so I hope it was worth the wait! The song used was "Radiator" by the very talented Family Force Five, check out that song, a really good one! And although the song wasn't directly used here, the garden scene with Soul Glow and Luna is heavily inspired by "Mind's Eye", another great Family Force Five song!**

**And, the calls for my return have been too strong for me to ignore now. The next chapter I post won't be on this story, but for the formerly popular Little Wizard Academia, a fanfic that has existed for nearly four years now!**

****So, I'll see you boys and girls next time. Stay safe!****


	12. Soul Glow's Workout

**Author's Note: Hello there! It's been a bit of time since my last upload. Due to recent things happening, I've been unable to write, but now, I'm happy that this next chapter is finally out! Soul Glow is a cutie and a half, and it's great to post more about him!**

**But, due to some recent things and ideas going on in my head, I've decided to return my attention to my old Little Witch Academia fanfiction, which is the most followed LWA fanfic centered around a male character! So, there might not be any uploads here for a bit, so please make sure to follow, and favorite so you don't miss anything, and be sure to comment!**

* * *

"I admit, Soul Glow's case is quite interesting." Captain Iron Hoof reclined back into his chair as he pondered. "A pony taken in by Nightmare Moon, a creature of pure evil and dark magic, but now free, and wishes to serve in our ranks. Quite peculiar…"

Although Shining Armor had seen a fair bit in his days as a guard, Captain Iron Hoof, who's age was far beyond that of his second in command, had seen a great deal.

His advanced age had given him memories and insight on many things in his long life, but nothing quite like this. It was completely new to him, unusual, as unusual as Soul Glow himself was.

Iron Hoof scratched at his chin, millions of thoughts racing through his mind.

A pony who stood with Nightmare Moon would've inherently been an issue, but Luna herself was able to overcome her past, and Soul Glow could follow.

There was potential to be had in a pony under such circumstances, but what they were, he didn't fully know yet.

"What sort of fighting instinct does this stallion possess?" He asked Shining Armor. "Is he gifted in dark magic? Perhaps his physical strength is greater than that of a normal pony?"

Shining Armor frowned at his superior's assumption.

Shining Armor had the same thoughts too, but after spending meeting Soul Glow, he realized that he couldn't have been further from the truth.

"No, he's not that strong. In fact, he's more on the weak side." Shining Armor began. "Living in The Everfree Forest for so long really did a number on his body. He's tall, sure, but a proper meal is hard to come by out there. He was basically starving..."

Shining Armor stopped himself as he remembered that he was supposed to convince Iron Hoof to let Soul Glow into the guard, not tell of his flaws.

"But with the proper coach and equipment, I believe that Soul Glow can reach great heights. He's already shown great loyalty and love for Princess Luna, he just needs some real royal guard training, that's all. He's got energy, and he certainly has a bond to Princess Luna."

Hearing this piqued Iron Hoof's curiosity, himself raising a brow at Shining Armor's claim.

The Captain of the Guard had heard that Soul Glow and Princess Luna had taken a liking to each other, but had no idea the strength of it.

"He's loyal to her?" He asked.

Shining Armor nodded his head, stating

"It's beyond that. He seems to love her, just as she loves him. He's not quite the same when Luna isn't with him. You've read his case file."

"I have." Captain Iron Hoof nodded. "A minion of Nightmare Moon, twisted and bent to her will, now freed and given a second chance, guided by Luna's hoof."

Iron Hoof thought more about Soul Glow, recalling how he once destroyed several buildings in Ponyville, causing quite the ruckus.

"He fought with your sister as well?" The Captain asked, casting a gaze at Shining Armor.

Shining Armor nodded.

"He did."

"And you don't hold any hostilities towards him?"

Shining Armor took a breath through his nose, not wishing to think about that time.

"When I first heard somepony fought with my little sister and her friends, I was of course troubled, angry even." He explained. "But after hearing his story from Luna herself, and seeing what love and joy he actually possesses, I don't think so. Like you, I'm interested in Soul Glow, I see potential in him, and believe that he would make a fine royal guard."

Iron Hoof once again sat back in his chair, sinking into it as he pondered Shining Armor's words.

It would definitely be something which the royal guard had never done before, training a pony such as Soul Glow. In all honesty, if it weren't for the wishes of Princess Luna and Shining Armor, Soul Glow would've been denied for sure, not just due to his background, but his current physical state.

But still, The Royal Guard was well known for transforming everyday ponies into role models. Soul Glow may follow just the same, if perhaps a few more bumps in the road than normal.

And besides, perhaps he could get some use out of Soul Glow.

"Well, Shining Armor, you certainly do have an eye for talent." He told him, his mind now made up. "Afterall, I didn't make you second in command of the Royal Guard for nothing."

Shining Armor smiled at Iron Hoof's praise.

Both Princesses and Iron Hoof were some of the ponies which Shining Armor looked up to the most. To hear their favors was certainly a blessing to the ear.

With a huff, Iron Hoof casted Shining Armor a solid stare, stating

"Fine then, Shining Armor. As Captain of the Guard, you have my blessing to train him. You may begin when ready."

* * *

"Follow my lead, Soul Glow." Shining Armor requested.

The royal guard then bent low to the ground, popping and stretching his back, his hooves and haunches following.

Soul Glow cocked his head at Shining Armor, thinking his poses and movements were a bit funny.

"Whah are ya doin'?" He asked his trainer.

He really had never seen such movements in his life. It was as if Shining Armor was trying to pop off his haunches and limbs. Soul Glow really wasn't sure how to interpret it.

Shining Armor smiled at Soul Glow, his clueless almost being a bit endearing.

"I'm stretching, Soul Glow." He explained. "Before you train, it is always best to do these moves. It helps to loosen up your muscles and joints, preparing them for the strain ahead."

Soul Glow nodded at his words, taking them in, trying to absorb every bit of information he could.

Soul Glow spread his limbs out, extending them to their fullest length, himself feeling his joints pop and crack in articulation. It hurt a bit at first, but after a few more, it felt almost nice.

As Soul Glow continued to follow Shining Armor's stretches, the door to their training room opened.

In the doorway stood Princess Luna, a smile on her face.

"Hello there!" She beamed at the two stallions.

"Luna!" Soul Glow happily cried out, running to her, his tail wagging like a dog.

He had only been away from her since this morning, that was already too much time apart for Soul Glow.

He immediately embraced her in a tight hug, Luna responding in kind, a warm smile on her face, in love with Soul Glow's kindness.

Patting Soul Glow's messy mane, her gaze turned to the other stallion in the room.

"Hello, Shining Armor." She greeted him. "I've come to check on Soul Glow and your training of him."

Luna couldn't help but detect a very strong and potent odor coming from Soul Glow. It was a mix of sweat, dirt, and other unpleasant stenches.

However, Luna couldn't help but smile smelling such a disgusting smell, it meant a job well done.

Smiling at Soul Glow, she said

"And by your scent, I can tell you've worked hard today."

Surely such a strong odor from Soul Glow must've been created from hours of intense physical training.

Luna was so proud of Soul Glow, he really was taking initiative in this!

"Actually, we haven't started yet." Shining Armor informed her. "We've just started with stretches."

Luna's eyes widened slightly, as her mouth hung open, her gaze turning back to Soul Glow.

Why, Soul Glow smelled like he just ran five miles in the burning summer sun, wearing a trash bag, full of rotten garbage.

"So then...that's his normal scent?"

Perhaps Luna was so focused on breaking off Soul Glow's rotten connection with Nightmare Moon, that she never noticed how rotten he smelled.

"Soul Glow, what did I tell you about taking baths?"

Not remembering even what a bath was, Soul Glow simply shrugged his shoulders sheepishly.

"You have to take at least one bath a day." Luna reminded him, slightly annoyed by his lack of basic hygiene. "When was the last time you took a bath?"

Once again, Soul Glow simply shrugged at her answer.

Like all mothers would do, Luna simply closed her eyes, taking a deep breath through her nostrils, not letting her annoyance be shown.

Clearly, Soul Glow must be taught proper hygiene, on top of everything else.

Opening her eyes again, she greeted Soul Glow with a smile, saying

"When your lesson with Shining Armor is done, I'm giving you a bath."

And with that, Luna left the two stallions.

Clueless as ever, Soul Glow simply smiled brightly, as he waved his hoof

"Goo' bye, Luna!"

The door closed, leaving Shining Armor and Soul Glow alone once again.

It was a short trip, but just seeing and hearing Luna again made Soul Glow very happy.

Shining Armor dipped his body down again, resuming the stretches, Soul Glow following his friend's movements.

"Dis bah fun!" Soul Glow giggled out, his body stretching and turning in odd and interesting ways.

"Yeah?"

"Is jest like ah party." Soul Glow commented.

Although he had never been to one himself, Soul Glow recalled Luna's telling of The Grand Galloping Gala, a party that took place.

There was music, singing, things right up Soul Glow's alley. There was also dancing, and after Luna demonstrated what dancing was to Soul Glow, he saw the connection between that and the stretching they were doing so now.

"If you want to call it a party, that's fine." Shining Armor said. "I'll admit, working out can be a fun time, especially when you really push yourself. It's a sense of accomplishment."

Shining Armor stopped his stretching, and grabbed two nearby sweatbands, levitating one over to Soul Glow.

"Alright, Soul Glow. Let's start this...party. Put on your sweatband." Shining Armor instructed, himself putting his on.

Soul Glow looked down at what was in his hooves.

What was a sweatband to most was a weird black circle to Soul Glow. He never saw such a thing in Everfree.

Curiosity peaked, Soul Glow felt the material, giving it a small pull, the sweatband stretching into a much greater size.

He had never seen such material before.

"Stretchy!" Soul Glow giggled.

Shining Armor smiled at him, saying

"Elastic sweatband."

Once Soul Glow was done playing with the material, the sweatband was place around his head, his long and unkempt hair as wild as ever.

Soul Glow listened to Shining Armor's words.

"It is important to build up your body if you wish to engage in this kind of work." Shining Armor informed Soul Glow. "Being a royal guard is a very physically demanding job. Building up your muscle mass is essential to protect the Princesses. You gain strength through strain of the weight training, microscopic tears are made in your muscles, and-"  
"Buh ain't dat bad?!" Soul Glow cried out in shock.

Tearing up your muscles?! How does ripping something apart make it stronger?!

Soul Glow vaguely remembered when Nightmare Moon attacked him, hurt him, it certainly made him very sore, but not stronger in any sense.

"Not exactly." Shining Armor retorted. "Through a proper diet, those tears will heal up with muscle stronger than what was torn. In other words, the more you work out and allow yourself to heal, the stronger you'll become."

"'N dah stronger ah bah, dah more ah can protect Luna."

Shining Armor smiled, nodding at Soul Glow's remark.

"Yes, Soul Glow. Now you're getting it."

Turning towards the many weights and bars strewn around the floor, Shining Armor picked up the smallest one.

"This is a training weight." He explained. "It's light for me, but should be fine for a stallion such as yourself. Through constant repetition, this will build and grow your muscle. Go ahead and try so now."

Seeing how easy it was for his friend to lift it, Soul Glow bent over, expecting the same results.

However, even as Soul Glow's hoof gripped tightly, and all of Soul Glow's strength was behind it, there was no such result.

The colt gritted his teeth, and with a heavy heave was able to drag it a few inches across the floor, but not pick it up.

"Shining Armor! Dis bah 'eavy!" Soul Glow cried out, his face growing red from exertion. "Ah need a lighter weight!"

"Soul Glow, that's the lightest weight we have." Shining Armor commented, finding the situation a bit humorous. "It's only five pounds."

Soul Glow didn't believe him.

No way. Soul Glow could barely even lift the weight off the ground. It was impossible that Shining Armor could do better, even if the stallion was much more built than him.

"Ya lift it den, if it bah so easy fer ya!" Soul Glow cried out, face a little red.

Shining Armor simply shrugged, and with great ease, picked up the weight and curled it.

Soul Glow's jaw practically dropped to the floor.

"Ya's dah strongest pony ever!" He cried out, beyond belief.

Something that took Soul Glow a great effort to barely lift, Shining Armor was able to manage it with ease and grace.

Shining Armor really was an amazing pony to Soul Glow.

He was strong, very friendly, and nice to look at.

"Well, sometimes I like to think that." The stallion chuckled at Soul Glow's words. "But to be honest, five pounds is nothing to me. I don't even use it to warm up. Once you feel comfortable lifting that small weight, we shall move onto greater intensities. Working out is about lifting weights which you struggle with, not with weights you can do with ease."

Soul Glow nodded his head at this new information, pretending that he understood.

Just a few weeks ago, he had never heard of any other ponies besides Nightmare Moon, and now he was being taught how to work out from somepony completely different from her.

"There are various levels of intensity for weights. Right now, you are on Intensity Zero, the five pound weight. After you can do that, you will move onto Intensity One, the ten pound weight. After there is Intensity Two, twenty, and finally Intensity Three, thirty pounds. You have to be able to manage Intensity Three in order to qualify for the guard."

"How much can ya lift?" Soul Glow asked. "How heavy bah dah dumbbells ya lift?"

Even someone as dull as Soul Glow could tell that Shining Armor was much stronger than him.

His body was so filled, rippled with power, it excited Soul Glow.

Shining Armor was so nice to look at, he felt happy every time he had the chance.

"I'll admit, I've been slacking as of recent, but I can manage fifty pounds fairly well."

Soul Glow nearly fell over upon hearing this.

Admittedly, Soul Glow wasn't the best with numbers, but could tell that fifty was a far greater number than five, he just wasn't sure how much greater.

Shining Armor caught Soul Glow's astonished look.

"You'll get there one day, Soul Glow." The stallion said. "All you have to do is show dedication. Do this regularly, eat well, and it'll only be a matter of time."

Soul Glow giggled at Shining Armor's kind words, blushing a bit.

That was something else that Soul Glow loved about him. He was always so nice to him, so caring, and inspiring.

Shining Armor's words of approval and encouragement meant a great deal to Soul Glow. It was like a present every time he heard them.

If Shining Armor thought that Soul Glow could succeed, then who was he to disagree?

Soul Glow, with new found resolve and faith in Shining Armor, gripped the weight, and with a great amount of his strength, managed to lift the five pound weight off the ground.

"You're doing it." Shining Armor cheered him on with a smile.

Soul Glow let out a pained breath as he followed the movement which Shining Armor demonstrated, curling the weight.

He felt as if his arm would dislocate itself from the rest of his body, but Soul Glow had done it.

Soul Glow smiled through the pain, proud of what he achieved, Shining Armor following with a smile of his own.

"You're doing it, Soul Glow." Shining Armor encouraged him. "Just keep at it, get used to the feel."

Soul Glow obeyed, struggling and straining himself to a high degree as he repeated his movements.

It was only a few curls, but Soul Glow was already working up quite a sweat. He really wasn't used to manual labor, let alone something concentrated into one part of his body.

He could already feel the pain in his muscle, just as Shining Armor stated he would.

Beads of sweat began to pour off of Soul Glow, dripping onto the floor, causing his already mop of a hairdo to grow damp and messy.

What seemed like not even a warm up to Shining Armor, was a full blown work to Soul Glow.

It was going to take a grand effort to get Soul Glow to where he needed to be.

But still, Soul Glow had indeed worked up quite the sweat. He smelled even worse than usual.

"I like to call it 'Turning Sweat Into Gold'." Shining Armor told Soul Glow. "The more work you put into something, the more beautiful it becomes in the end. The same goes for when you're working out."

Even if Soul Glow had achieved a new milestone, actually lifting and using the weight, the effects were large.

At this point, Soul Glow was so worn out, so exhausted, that any more training would be completely wasted. A few curls on each arm was all it took to completely wear him out.

It would be best right now to give him a full meal, and let him and his body rest.

Of course, after Luna gives him a bath of course.

Shining Armor was no stranger to sweat, but even Soul Glow right now was a bit too much.

* * *

"So, Shining Armor, how did the lesson with Soul Glow go?" Luna asked.

The stallion scratched his head.

Even if Soul Glow were right now in a totally different room, Shining Armor's voice was hushed, not wishing for the unicorn to hear him.

"Is it bad that Soul Glow can talk straight to my face for twenty minutes, and I have no idea what he's saying?"

Sure, Shining Armor could mostly make out what Soul Glow was saying before the exercise. But a gasping and gagging Soul Glow, completely out of breath and energy, he was barely intelligible.

Luna couldn't help but chuckle at Shining Armor's question, responding with

"I'll admit, sometimes I think I'm the only pony that can understand everything he's saying whenever he's speaking. Even my sister, Celestia, can have trouble keeping up with him at times."

Luna's face turned flat once again.

"But how was his training? Did it go well?"

"Eh…." Shining Armor scratched at his mane. "He did about as I expected, not very good."

"Well, it is his first day afterall." Luna said, believing the best in Soul Glow. "I'm sure after a few sessions, he'll get the hang of it all."

"Oh, no doubt." He supported her. "I remember when I was a small child. I was just as scrawny as him. A few good years of training and diet can shape even the smallest into the strongest."

Luna put a hoof to her chin as she recalled

"I believe he's half Earth Pony."

Shining Armor smirked at Luna's remark.

"If that's true, then his growth should be much quicker. Earth Ponies are praised for their physical strength. Both my parents are Unicorns, so it took me longer. We're not exactly known for being physically imposing."

Now it was Luna's turn to smirk.

"Well, you've certainly put that rumor to bed, Shining Armor. I believe that you may be the strongest in the guard. It's no wonder everypony says that you'll take over Captain Iron Hoof's position after he's retired."

Shining Armor smiled at Luna's praises.

In all honesty, Shining Armor had been debating right from the start if he could really help Soul Glow, to train and coach him not just in physicality, but also be there for him as a friend.

"Thank you, Princess." Shining Armor bowed at her words. "Your words mean alot to me."

Returning from his bow, Shining Armor stated

"I think he should be done cleaning up by now. I'm sure he's hungry. I'll take him to the mess hall, he can meet some of the other guards too."

"Yes, that would be good for him, and make sure he eats his fill." Luna smiled at him. "I wouldn't want my little Soul Glow to go to bed on an empty tummy."

* * *

Soul Glow finished off his fifth plate, pushing it to the side as he made a motion towards his water glass, finishing it off in mere seconds.

His commotion had attracted the attention of all the royal guards around him, all staring in awe at his actions.

In just a few minutes, Soul Glow had already devoured more than what an average guard would eat during mealtime, and he didn't show any signs of stopping.

"How can such a lanky pony eat so much?" One of the royal guards questioned.

"I dunno, but this pony's got an appetite..." Another one commented as Soul Glow finished off his sixth plate.

"Eh, cut him some slack." Shining Armor stated, himself sitting at Soul Glow's side. "He's never had a real meal before."

Even before Nightmare Moon, and on his childhood farm, Soul Glow never received a proper meal. It was only scraps at best, his body always growling for more, more which never came.

Ever since he arrived in Canterlot, food had never been more plentiful, engaging in practical feasts every meal, as if his body was trying to catch up. Shining Armor didn't mind such gluttony, but in fact, he enjoyed seeing it. The stallion knew that as long as Soul Glow continued to train, and eat well and often, it would only be a matter of short time before he was physically ready for the guard.

"But still, you should at least use cutlery, Soul Glow." Shining Armor told him, noting the food coating Soul Glow's hoofs and mouth.

Soul Glow stopped his devouring, staring at Shining Armor with a blank expression on his face.

The stallion finished chewing his food, swallowing, as he replied with

"Whah's dat?"

"You know, knives, forks, spoons…" Shining Armor drifted as he recalled Soul Glow's past. "I guess you don't know, actually…"

Shining Armor scratched his head, trying to figure out how to explain the usages of knives, forks, and spoons.

That's really something he never thought he'd have to explain.

"Ya mean dis?" Soul Glow innocently guessed, placing his hoof on the tablecloth.

This caused a few guards around him to snigger and chuckle to themselves.

"Soul Glow? Hehe." One of the guards chuckled to himself, before declaring loudly. "More like, Slow Glow!"

A few nearby guards joined in, laughing and chuckling at the joke.

Soul Glow seemed to grow uncomfortable by this, himself slouching as he ate considerably slower.

Spear Head, one of Shining Armor's closest friends, could see the discomfort in Soul Glow.

"So, dude, how did Soul Glow do during training." He asked, trying to move the conversation to something else. "He must've lifted a lot to be eating so ferociously."

"Eh, he lifted as much as he could, which was all anyone can be expected to do. He'll come around soon, I can feel it." Shining Armor smiled. "If anything, if any food monsters attack Canterlot, I'm sure Soul Glow is all we need to win."

"Ha!" Another guard laughed at Shining Armor's jest. "Those food monsters must've been made of something weak, like paper mache...or Soul Glow."

This joke sent all surrounding guards into a laughing frenzy, a few pounding their hoofs against the table in guffaw.

Soul Glow's face turned from it's normally pale white to a bright embarrassing red.

He bit at his lip, his hooves shaking slightly.

Just as Shining Armor noticed his friend's discomfort, Soul Glow jumped up from his chair, quickly racing out of the room, his vision blurred from newly formed tears.

In a grunt towards this new situation, Shining Armor quickly followed after Soul Glow, leaving the mess hall.

"Soul Glow!" Shining Armor called to him.

Upon his voice, Soul Glow stopped in the middle of the hallway, his back still towards Shining Armor and the mess hall.

Soul Glow really didn't know what to do.

The unicorn just stood there as Shining Armor approached him, only turning around once his friendly voice reached his ears.

"Don't take it personally, not for a second." Shining Armor told him, trying to sound as comforting as possible. "Most of us are a rough bunch of ponies. We work out together, train together, eat and sleep together. We're basically a family of our own. This is just the humor that most of us have. If they insult you, it doesn't mean they hate you, just that they see you as one of us."

Hearing this caused Soul Glow's ears to perk up in curiosity.

Shining Armor scratched his mane with a hoof as he recalled

"They may call you Slow Glow, but I remember when I first started in the guard, they called me Shiny Hiney. My girlfriend, Cadence, used to tease me-"

Shining Armor stopped as Soul Glow's teardrops turned into rivers, flowing down to the floor as he sobbed to himself.

Shining Armor stretched a hoove out to Soul Glow, pain on his face as he saw Soul Glow in such a state.

"Soul Glow, are you crying because of what they said?" He questioned, before turning his attention to the mess hall entrance."If it really hurts you that much, I'll tell them to stop-"

Soul Glow grabbed Shining Armor's hoof, stopping him as he cried out

"Nah!"

The stallion gave Soul Glow a confused gaze, raising a brow.

Soul Glow steadied his voice, saying

"Nah, it's not dat."

He let out a heavy sigh, as memories and emotions from his painful past unearthed themselves once again.

"Nightmare Moon always told muh dat ah was different from other ponies, dat nah pony would love muh, 'n dat ah doan belong." His sad stricken face turned into a light smile, his eyes brightening. "But ya make muh feel dah opposite, which ah guess bah belongin'."

Now it was Shining Armor's turn to not know how to feel.

Apart of him was sad that Soul Glow was told such things, but another part was full of warmth that he was able to make Soul Glow feel as though he belonged.

"You do belong, Soul Glow." Shining Armor told him, slinging his arms around the stallion in a hug. "Nightmare Moon is your past. You're here now, with Luna, Celestia, and myself. Even if you're not officially a royal guard yet, I still consider you one, and a good friend."

Soul Glow returned the hug in kind, squeezing as hard as he could, even if it was still a weak grip.

He felt that feeling again, from when he first met Shining Armor.

It was a strange feeling, warm, almost as if Soul Glow wanted to be as close to Shining Armor as possible, but he was also a bit nervous around the unicorn.

No, it was not out of fear, but some weird emotion which Soul Glow couldn't process. Embarrassment?

No, it couldn't be that. Soul Glow really had nothing to be embarrassed over, Shining Armor already knew his past.

But still, whenever Soul Glow was around Shining Armor, or thinking about him, he would always grow...excited? Happy? He certainly only felt good emotions whilst being around the stallion, but specifically what they were, he could not say for certain.

He felt this same feeling yesterday, when he first met Shining Armor, and it seemed to persist, perhaps even grow.

Soul Glow honestly couldn't explain it. It was just a desire to be around Shining Armor, to spend time with him, hang out, but not in the same way that he felt around Luna. It was a similar warm feeling, but was also very different.

But, even if Shining Armor made him feel like he belonged, and the other guards were merely jesting, it would still leave one important issue.

Even if Shining Armor and Luna had high confidence in Soul Glow, he himself did not.

Shining Armor and the other royal guards were so much more stronger than him, so much larger, he felt it almost hopeless.

Soul Glow only wished to be by Luna's side, to return the love that she shows him in full. He wanted to keep Luna safe from all negatives, whether it be physical or perhaps emotional. He wished to sing to Luna should she feel sad, to be there for her, now and forever, just as she promised she would do for him.

But now, after working out, it all seemed to be hopeless, or at least out of hoof for Soul Glow.

He found it hard to believe that he would one day be strong, that he would be able to join the guard, and protect the pony which he cared so dearly for.

Soul Glow felt depressed by this, and not even staring at Shining Armor made him feel better.

All he wanted to do right now was go to bed, and forget about his troubles.


End file.
